Dear PEMSEA community,

Welcome to the July e-bulletin.

We are pleased to announce the release of the program for the International Conference segment of the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2024, set to take place on 6-8 November 2024 with the theme “Blue Synergy for a Shared Future: One Sustainable and Resilient Ocean.” The International Conference will feature a range of activities, including Plenary and Parallel Sessions, Workshops, and exhibits. Do register to join using the button below.

Also in the news, the third edition of the IRBM Project Newsletter features the launch of the State of the River Basin Reporting for seven priority river basins, as well as the 2nd Regional Steering Committee Meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, field visits to the Kampong Bay River Basin, and discussions on the project scope and boundaries in the Pasac Watershed in the Philippines.

The ATSEA-2 Project is working on mangrove conservation in the Aru Archipelago’s Southeast Aru Marine Protected Area. The second quarter ATSEA-2 newsletter highlights key environmental initiatives in the Arafura and Timor Seas region, including the senior officials’ meeting in Brisbane that finalized the draft for the ATS Ministerial Forum. It also details the new Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for 2024-2033, adopted by Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste, along with the adoption of Papua New Guinea's first local-level fisheries management law and the inauguration of the Tok Derek Women’s Cooperative fish shop in Timor-Leste.

From our partners, the Second Bataan State of the Coasts (SOC) evaluated the province’s progress in ICM implementation from 2017-2022, using the First Bataan SOC report, which covered data from 2000 to 2015, as a baseline. The East Asian Seas Initiative on Clean Oceans (EASICO) project concluded noting achievements in citizen science and marine plastic pollution reduction. Dongying integrates industrial growth with environmental stewardship through its Integrated Coastal Zone Management strategy.  

"Collaboration Beyond Boundaries" is the third edition of the Integrated River Basin Management Project, which highlights the coming together of governments and partners from ASEAN member states for the regional workshop on the State of River Basin and the 2nd Regional Steering Committee Meeting. Cooperation among national and local partners continue to drive the implementation of the Project in four priority river basins while the remaining three are gearing for implementation in the second half of 2024.

Dear PEMSEA community,

Welcome to the June e-bulletin.

This month, the Arafura Timor Seas Ecosystem Action Project conducted the Senior Government Officials Meeting to finalize preparations for the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) Ministerial Forum which will be held in Dili, Timor Leste on 19-20 Setember 2024. The month also saw the passing of new fisheries management legislation in the South Fly District of Papua New Guinea.

The annual PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Executive Committee Meeting saw the induction of a new associate member, the Dongying Huanhai Institute for Marine Conservation and Development. PEMSEA's Marine Plastics Project held several Ocean Day initiatives throughout the Philippines, in cooperation with local government, NGOs, and academe. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), China, released a new assessment on China’s coastal and marine ecosystems, documenting challenges and successes for China's marine and coastal areas.

The program for the East Asian Seas Congress 2024 has been released. The congress has four subthemes: Ocean Science, Policy, and Practice; Global Challenges, Local Solutions; Innovation and Digitalization of Ocean Action; and Blue Financing and Investments. We invite all interested parties to register for the Congress, that will take place on 6-8 November in Xiamen. China.

Dear PEMSEA community,

Welcome to the May e-bulletin.

This month, PEMSEA gratefully received many expressions of interest to convene sessions on various coastal and marine themes at the EAS Congress 2024 on 6-8 November 2024, noting the importance of learning exchange and pursuing more collaborative actions to tackle global challenges. The IRBM project has released its second 2024 newsletter, highlighting key progress, including a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) analysis of planned activities to ensure equitable resource distribution and conflict prevention. PEMSEA attended the Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Blue Economy to help build a shared understanding of blue economy and financing. ASEAN has released the Sixth ASEAN State of the Environment Report, and PEMSEA is monitoring the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee's discussions on a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution to incorporate relevant insights into its regional projects.

We would like to take this opportunity to invite all interested parties to register for the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, with early bird rates available until 30 June.

With the title "Connection and Voices: Setting the Sail in 2024," the second edition of the Integrated River Basin Management Project Newsletter highlighted the promotion of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) to ensure a more inclusive approach in the implementation of all project components. Hear from the voices of community and local partners on the issues confronting the river basins in their respective countries, and the importance of representing the marginalised and more vulnerable sectors in the community. 

Dear PEMSEA community,

Happy Earth Month and welcome to the April 2024 e-Bulletin!

This month, PEMSEA has organized a series of activities to mark Earth Month. Our main focus has been on the sustainable management of the Earth for future generations. The highlight of our events was the EAS Youth Forum 2024, which brought together 19 young leaders from 10 countries in the East Asian Seas region. This forum served as a pre-EAS Congress platform for building knowledge, forging friendships, and solidifying actions to shape the ocean we need for the future we want. Additionally, we held a Marine Plastics Learning Exchange aimed at enhancing local capacity in the Philippines and Timor-Leste. Furthermore, the UNDP/GEF/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) project conducted a regional workshop, bringing representatives from six ASEAN countries to improve the monitoring and measurement of select Southeast Asian priority river basins.

We would like to take this opportunity to invite all interested parties to submit an Expression of Interest in the EAS Congress 2024 before 15 May.

Dear PEMSEA community,

Greetings and welcome to the March 2024 e-Bulletin!

Registration is open for interested participants to the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, which will take place under the theme "Blue Synergy for a Shared Future: One Sustainable and Resilient Ocean”. The event is being held in collaboration with the Xiamen World Ocean Week (XWOW) and co-hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources in Xiamen, China and the Xiamen Municipal People’s Government.

We share a story about one of the areas covered by our IRBM project, the Nam Tha River Basin in Lao PDR, a tributary of the Mekong River. In the lead up to the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, the PEMSEA Executive Committee convened to agree on actions and recommendations for the partnerships to address in the coming months, and we look forward to the first event next month, the East Asian Seas Congress 2024 Youth Forum.

Dear PEMSEA community,

Greetings and welcome to the February 2024 e-Bulletin!

Registration is now open for the triennial summit for the seas of East Asia, the East Asian Seas Congress 2024, which will take place under the theme "Blue Synergy for a Shared Future: One Sustainable and Resilient Ocean”. The event is being held in collaboration with the Xiamen World Ocean Week (XWOW) and co-hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources in Xiamen, China and the Xiamen Municipal People’s Government..

The start of the year has seen progress in PEMSEA’s projects throughout the region. The Timor-Leste National Project Board for marine plastic pollution has had its inaugural meeting. PEMSEA also met with officials in Singapore to discuss ongoing collaboration, and we share progress from our partners, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) of Cambodia and Preah Sihanouk province, in the sustainable development of the Prek Kampong Smach waterway.

PEMSEA is closely following the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) taking place at this time, as well as developments in external research, such as improved knowledge about the trapping of microplastics in coastal vegetation, the launch of a new satellite that will improve climate modeling, and the slated construction of a new pilot carbon capture plant in Singapore.

Welcoming in a new year for the oceans

Dear PEMSEA community,

Greetings and welcome to the first PEMSEA e-Bulletin in 2024!

As we embark on a new year of collaborative endeavors in sustainable coastal and ocean management, we will continue to provide relevant and critical updates regarding progress towards a more sustainable future within the seas of East Asia.  

Here's to another year of progress, strengthened partnerships, and meaningful impact.

This year sees the convening of our triennial summit for the seas of East Asia, the East Asian Seas Congress 2024. We are busy undertaking preparations for this event, which will take place under the theme "Blue Synergy for a Shared Future: One Sustainable and Resilient Ocean”. The event will be co-hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources in Xiamen, China. An early event, the EAS 2024 Youth Forum, will take place in Uljin City, RO Korea, this April.

The new year also brings a revamped appearance for www.pemsea.org, which has been redesigned to better share information about ongoing work in the region. This newsletter also includes further details of our work in Kampong Bay, and our attendance to the 10th International Conference on Marine Pollution and Ecotoxicology.

Outside of PEMSEA, the imperative for concerted action on climate change has become more pressing as 2023 has been confirmed as the warmest year on record. Environmental multilateralism will be similarly indispensable for other global challenges, such as marine plastic pollution. Global aspirations for an international treaty on plastic pollution will be deliberated upon at UNEA-6.