Bangkok, Thailand — The Regional Scientific and Technical Capacity Building Workshop on the World Ocean Assessment (WOA), contributing to the UN Regular Process, was held on 17-19 September 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

The workshop was co-organized by COBSEA, NOWPAP, IOC/WESTPAC and GRID Arendal with financial support provided by UNEP, IOC/WESTPAC and Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN).

 

 

Toyama, Japan — In conjunction with the 4th Northeast Asia Region Youth Environmental Program sponsored by the Toyama Prefectural Government, a special lecture on NOWPAP and its activities was delivered to local school students by the NOWPAP Deputy Coordinator on 19 August 2012.

 

A complimentary speech was also given at the opening of a workshop where students from PR China, Japan, RO Korea and Russia shared their experiences on conducting environmental activities in their respective countries.

 

 

Yeosu, RO Korea — The Oceans Compact, an initiative to strengthen United Nations system-wide coherence to deliver on its oceans-related mandates, was launched by the UN Secretary General in Yeosu, RO Korea on 12 August 2012, the closing day for the 2012 Yeosu Expo.

 

 

Kyoto, Japan — NOWPAP representatives attended the Marine Litter Summit on 25-26 August 2012 in Kameoka city of Kyoto Prefecture, Japan where participants from environmental NGOs, central and local governments discussed ways of dealing with marine litter in Japan and in the region.

 

 

Bangkok, Thailand — The GEF International Waters Science Conference (IWSC 2012), attended by over 160 managers, scientists and officials, was held September 24-26, carrying the theme "Setting the International Waters Science Agenda for the Next Decade." The conference adopted a statement summarizing the major conclusions of the three-day conference.

 

 

Beijing, PR China — In the Regional Experts Workshop on the Preparation of the Program Framework Document (PFD) and Eighth Meeting of the Project Steering Committee of the UNDP/GEF Regional Project on Reducing Environmental Stress in the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem, held on September 18-19 and September 20 respectively, PR China and RO Korea agreed to a plan to seek GEF support in implementing the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) of the Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (YSLME).

 

 

 

Bangkok, Thailand — Fifty experts on marine environment from WESTPAC, NOWPAP and COBSEA Member Countries participated in the Regional Scientific and Technical Capacity Building Workshop on the World Ocean Assessment (the Regular Process) in Bangkok, Thailand, from 17 to 19 September 2012.

 

 

Palawan, Philippines — The government of Philippines has chosen as its fifth Wetland of International Importance the extremely interesting Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (22,202 hectares, 10º10'00"N 118º55'00"E), which is already a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Man and Biosphere (MAB) Biosphere Reserve.

 

 

Quezon City, Philippines — The Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation (KOEM) headed by its Vice President, Dr. Kim Hyun-Jong met with PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF) technical staff to review and discuss the progress in the implementation of the research project on "Monitoring and Analysis of Waters in the East Asian Seas relating to Climate Change" on 3 September 2012 at the PEMSEA Office Building.