Maritime transport and its associated activities, including the operation of ships, ports, cargo handling equipment, and trucks are a significant source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other pollutants emissions. Around 90% of the global trade is transported by sea and 60% of this trade volume passes through the seas and ports of Asia, with the South China Sea carrying an estimated one-third of global shipping. Heavy cargo vehicles account for less than 10% of all road vehicles but contribute more than 50% of the transport sector’s CO2 emissions in Asia. East and Southeast Asian countries play globally significant roles in maritime transport, supporting shipbuilding industries, containing the world’s busiest ports, and having high marine freight import and export levels. Based on trends showing increasing trade and therefore increased shipping demand, emissions from maritime transport (CH4, CO, CO2, NOx) may increase three to four-fold by 2050.

Countries in the East Asian region are already undertaking climate change mitigation actions, and have committed to such efforts in regional and international programs and agreements such as the ASEAN Transport Strategic Plan 2018-2025, PEMSEA’s Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA), the Initial IMO GHG Strategy, the IMO Resolution on Cooperation between Shipping and Port Sectors on GHG emissions, as well as the UN SDGs, specifically SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 13 on Climate Action, SDG 14 Life Below Water, and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.

As countries continue to shift their maritime transport sector towards a low-carbon future, the International Climate Initiative (IKI) in collaboration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) propose to assist them through the preparation of a five-year, EUR 15 million project entitled ‘Reducing Maritime Transport Emissions in East and Southeast Asian Countries’ (Blue Solutions).

This report provides the highlights of the kick-off meeting which was organized with the following objectives:

• to introduce the proposed project’s objectives, components, and project preparation team to the relevant stakeholders in the region;

• to lay the groundwork for the succeeding bilateral meetings with countries that will take place in the months of July-August 2021;

• to seek feedback, respond to questions, and generate expressions of support and interest for the project.

Just over 100 individuals participated in the event, coming from 10 countries (Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, RO Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam) as well as a project team from IMO, PEMSEA, and representatives from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).

The 13th East Asian Seas (EAS) Partnership Council (PC) Meeting was held virtually on 28-29 July 2021 through a Zoom conference call. Representatives from 10 PEMSEA country partners (CPs) namely Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Philippines, RO Korea, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam attended the meeting. Also in attendance were representatives from PEMSEA non-country partners (NCPs), namely the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), International Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas (EMECS) Center, IPIECA, Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation (KOEM), Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP), Ocean Policy Research Institute, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF), Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) and PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG).

Representatives from the PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC), China-PEMSEA Sustainable Coastal Management Cooperation Center (CPC), and Provincial Administration of Preah Sihanouk (SHV) Cambodia) participated as guests. The PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) served as the Secretariat for the meeting.

The Ocean RTD entitled “Towards a Blue Economy Pathway for the East Asian Seas” was organized by Partnerships in Environment Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA). This online event was conducted on 8 June 2021 (World Ocean Day) and was the first of a series of collabs that will culminate in the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2021 on 1-2 December 2021.

For many countries worldwide, the ongoing health crisis has disrupted many people’s lives, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) plunged, and unemployment rates soared along with a host of environmental challenges as countries focus on response and recovery efforts, making it challenging to achieve international, regional and national commitments on climate change, biodiversity conservation, marine pollution, and other aspects of coastal and marine governance. The pandemic has resulted in the temporary shutdown or restriction of activities in many ocean-related industries such as fisheries, transport, manufacturing, and tourism. Negative environmental impacts such as the proliferation of plastic pollution and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF) and the reduction of coastal monitoring and enforcement activities were also reported.

PEMSEA calls for the mainstreaming of sustainable, inclusive, and resilient ocean economy as an alternative development pathway for economic recovery and as a significant driver of economic growth and progress by creating employment and enhancing investment opportunities while at the same time protecting natural capital, enhancing resource efficiency, and reducing carbon footprint.

The RTD aimed to:

a) Discuss the impacts of the global pandemic on the state of ocean and coastal economies in the EAS region;

b) Explore the challenges and opportunities with case studies of best practices in accelerating the region’s transformation into a blue economy against the backdrop of national plans for post-pandemic recovery; and

c) Present policy recommendations that will feed into the development of the EAS Roadmap to 2030.

The program and link to the group photos and Youtube recording can be found in Annexes 1 and 2, respectively. Presentation materials/speeches are embedded as links throughout the proceedings.

The event was participated by Dr. Chua Thia-Eng (Chair Emeritus of the EAS Partnership Council); other officers and members of the Council; and representatives from the youth sector, national and local governments, academe, research institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private sector, and other development partners from within and beyond the EAS region.

The 2020 Forum of the PNLG with the theme, “Marine Eco‐civilization, Blue Development” was hosted by the Xiamen Municipal Government and co‐organized by the PNLG Secretariat, the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF), the Fujian Institute for Sustainable Oceans (FISO) and Coastal and Ocean Management Institute (COMI) of Xiamen University (XMU). The forum was conducted on 24 November 2020 via a blended online and face‐to‐face meeting for the local attendees in Xiamen.

Over one hundred thirty participants from: a) 35 PNLG member local governments from eight countries, namely Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Timor Leste, and Viet Nam; b) from PNLG Associate members, namely the First Institute of Oceanography and COMI; c) resource speakers and other invited experts, d) the PNLG Secretariat and e) the PRF attended the forum. A representative from Busan, Republic ok Korea also attended the forum as observer.

The 25th EC Meeting was conducted via Zoom on 27 October 2020. The meeting was participated by the EAS Partnership Council Chair, Mr. Arief Yuwono; Council Co-Chair, Dr. Vann Monyneath; Technical Session Chair, Dr. Jae Ryoung Oh; Technical Session Co-Chair; Dr. Keita Furukawa; and Intergovernmental Session Co-Chair, Deputy Director General (DDG) Chen Danhong. The meeting also welcomed representatives from the Cambodian Ministry of Environment (MOE), China-PEMSEA Center, Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF), and the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as observers.