Integrated River Basin Management Project Newsletter - Edition 9
PUBLICATION DATE:
Friday, January 23, 2026
PUBLICATION TYPE:
Magazines and Newsletters
STATUS:
Only Available Online
DESCRIPTION:
The final quarter of 2025 marked a period of steady progress for the GEF/UNDP/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project, as participating countries continued moving from planning toward implementation. Across the region, this transition was shaped by strengthened governance arrangements, deeper stakeholder engagement, and sustained awareness-raising efforts that anchored the Project more firmly at national and local levels.
A key milestone in November was the official launch of the IRBM Project in Indonesia, alongside the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the PEMSEA Resource Facility and the Ministry of Environment. This agreement formalized the implementing arrangements and collaboration for project implementation in the Ciliwung River Basin in Indonesia.
Earlier in October, a series of consultations in Indonesia, Viet Nam, and Malaysia brought together representatives from national, state-level, and local government agencies to identify and confirm priority issues and pilot solutions for the Ciliwung, Vu Gia–Thu Bon, and Kedah river basins. While each basin reflected its own social and ecological context, the discussions revealed shared challenges—wastewater and solid waste management, flooding, sedimentation, competing water uses, and saltwater intrusion. These common concerns underscored the growing urgency of integrated governance and management approaches in the face of accelerating development and climate pressures.
In December, the Project extended its outreach in the Philippines through participation in the Cavite Coastal Summit and the Cavite Sustainable Development Strategy Workshop. These events provided opportunities to raise awareness on Integrated River Basin Management, share updates on Project implementation in Cavite Province, and introduce the Source-to-Sea approach to local government officials, academe, and stakeholders engaged in environmental planning and management.
During the same month, the Project also convened an online inception meeting to initiate the development of the IRBM Training Manual and Training-of-Trainers (ToT) Program. Representatives from the six participating ASEAN Member States discussed the approach, methodology, and timeline for developing the training manual and ToT program, which will incorporate global practices while being grounded in regional and local contexts and practical application.
Taken together, the activities of the past quarter reflect a year of converging efforts and collective momentum. This journey is captured in the 2025 photo gallery featured in this edition, offering a visual walkthrough of the engagements, partnerships, and milestones that have marked the Project’s steady progression throughout the year.
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Proceedings of the 2026 PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Forum "Empowering Coastal Cities for a Blue Future"
The 2026 PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Forum, themed “Empowering Coastal Cities for a Blue Future,” was organized by the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development (PNLG), in collaboration with the PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers and the PEMSEA Resource Facility, and hosted by Busan Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea. The forum took place from September 8-10, 2026, at the Paradise Hotel Busan.
PEMSEA eBulletin - October 2026
From local solutions to international dialogues, October saw PEMSEA bringing coastal and ocean governance conversations to the forefront.
On the international stage, PEMSEA brought regional perspectives to the 11th International Waters Conference in Indonesia, the 2nd APEC Ocean Resilience Enhancement Conference, and Asia-Pacific Ocean Week 2026. Through these engagements, PEMSEA shared experiences and practical approaches to integrated coastal management, ocean resilience, and source-to-sea governance, contributing East Asian Seas perspectives to wider discussions on shared environmental challenges and regional cooperation.
At the regional level, the PEMSEA Executive Committee (EC) met online for the 36th EC Meeting to review institutional governance measures, discuss regional priorities, and look ahead to key Partnership milestones taking shape for 2027.
In the Philippines, PEMSEA continued to strengthen local partnerships through the PRICELESS Project and MOF/PEMSEA Marine Plastics ODA Project through continued collaboration with its partners and stakeholders.
Different platforms, shared priorities. This month, PEMSEA's engagements showed how regional experience can inform international conversations, how partnerships can shape collective priorities, and how cooperation can support solutions on the ground.
PEMSEA Regional Methodology for Blue Carbon Project Accounting
A Harmonized Guide for Estimating Carbon Stocks, Sequestration, and GHG Reductions in Coastal Ecosystems
Differences in measurement methods, carbon pool inclusion, and monitoring frameworks have made blue carbon projects in East Asia hard to compare. PEMSEA’s Regional Methodology addresses this with a single accounting framework for mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes. It is designed to be compatible with national greenhouse gas inventories and technically aligned with voluntary carbon credit certification requirements.
The Main Methodology sets out project eligibility and additionality, boundaries and stratification, baseline and project scenarios, uncertainty management, a tiering system, leakage, permanence and risk management, and monitoring, reporting, and verification. Five technical annexes provide the field and analytical detail:
- Annex A – Mangrove Ecosystems: carbon stock and sequestration assessment methods
- Annex B – Seagrass Ecosystems: carbon stock and sequestration assessment methods
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The methodology was prepared under the guidance of the Blue Carbon Technical Working Group of the EAS Partnership Council, with contributions from experts across the region. It is intended for project developers, national agencies, researchers, and verifiers working to bring high-integrity blue carbon projects to market.
INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON BLUE CARBON ECOSYSTEM VALUES: Accounting and Crediting Guidance Frameworks
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Proceedings of the 5th PEMSEA Network of Learning Centers (PNLC) Executive Committee Meeting 2026
The document contains the proceedings from the PNLC Executive Committee (EC) held 9 September 2026 in Busan, Republic of Korea.
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- Workplan 2026-2027
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