Momentum is growing behind the concept of “blue carbon” and its impact on global carbon emissions contributing to climate change. Environment, research and academic circles have been talking about blue carbon for some time, and now governments are tuning in too. Blue carbon refers to the carbon that is sequestered and stored in the biomass or sediments of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrass meadows. All three blue carbon ecosystems occur in East Asia and play an important role in food security, livelihoods and the resilience of coastal communities.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) recently concluded its 2017 Traineeship Programme, supporting the scaling up of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) and Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM). A total of six trainees from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Indonesia were in the Philippines for a two-month immersion program that aimed to equip them with the technical skills needed to implement ICM/IRBM programs in their respective countries.

 

The Provincial Government of Cavite recently hosted the Cavite Water Summit 2017 as part of ongoing efforts to address and manage the water situation in the province amidst a growing population. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) provided technical and financial support for the Summit.

 

SANYA CITY, CHINA— On its 11th session since it was formally established and its Charter was adopted in 2006, the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) is holding its annual forum themed “Ecological Restoration of Coastal Areas for Blue Economy” on December 4 to 7, 2017 in an event hosted by the Sanya City Government in Hainan Province, China.

BANGKOK, THAILAND — Decision-makers and leading experts from ministries, industry, the academe and international organizations convened for the first regional Blue Economy Forum, held 14-15 November 2017 at the Miracle Grand Convention Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

MANILA, PHILIPPINES— The resolution submitted by the Government of the Philippines called  “Promoting Marine Protected Area Networks in the ASEAN region” has been approved during the 12th session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP12) during a meeting recently held in Manila. This is the first time the COP was held in Asia.

 

SANYA CITY, CHINA— The recent annual forum of the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) stressed the importance of countries investing their technical and financial resources to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. The SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The forum discussed the commitments of PNLG members as detailed in their Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for 2016-2021 and how they aim to meet the SDGs in five years.

 

A National Inception Workshop was conducted on January 23 and 24 in Rayong, Thailand to kickstart the GEF/UNDP/PEMSEA Project on Scaling Up the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia for Thailand (2015-2019).

 

The workshop was co-organized by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) and the PEMSEA Resource Facility with support from the PEMSEA ICM Learning Center in Burapha University (BUU).

 

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—Preparations for the East Asian Seas Congress 2018 are now in full swing with the collaboration of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines and Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA). The 2018 East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress will be held on November 27-30, 2018 at the Iloilo Convention Center.

 

Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) is the first intergovernmental organization to formally join the initiative