The online training was organized for the benefit of states in the Gulf of Thailand (GOT). Focusing on the international liability and compensation regime for oil spills from tankers, the workshop aimed to raise awareness and strengthen knowledge on the compensation process, including the preparation and submission of claims for oil pollution damage following a spill.

The roundtable dialogue convened high level officials from PEMSEA country partners to discuss the challenges and opportunities with case studies of best practices in accelerating the region’s transformation into a blue economy against the backdrop of post-pandemic recovery; and present policy recommendations that will feed into the PEMSEA Roadmap to 2030 whose development was endorsed by the Preah Sihanouk Ministerial Declaration. It aims to combine the values, principles, and key achievements that were carefully cultivated and replicated through years of transforming PEMSEA from a regional marine pollution project into a leading regional collaborative mechanism as well as the available opportunities that will enable the organization to maintain its relevance and fit for purpose.

The webinar discussed how a social inclusion lens can be further applied in the fisheries sector to ensure that women’s roles are appreciated and that they are empowered to further participate in the development of sustainable fisheries. Case studies on experiences, challenges, and lessons learned were shared and recommendations on applying a gender-inclusive lens were provided.

The seminar raised awareness on the transfer of invasive aquatic species through biofouling and capacitated government representatives to participate in future meetings and negotiations on the issue. Knowledge on biofouling management approaches, innovations, success stories, and challenges were shared. The seminar also examined and considered elements and options for regional cooperation and was considered as a preparatory meeting for a future regional workshop to be conducted later in 2021 with the goal of defining a regional (harmonized) strategy for biofouling management.

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 Resource Facility (PRF) 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).”

The kick-off meeting for the project preparation phase of this regional project was organized with the following objectives: (1) to introduce the proposed project’s objectives, components, and project preparation team to the relevant stakeholders in the region; (2) to lay the groundwork for the succeeding bilateral meetings with countries; and (3) to seek feedback, respond to questions, and generate expressions of support and interest for the project.

The 13th EAS PC Meeting convened the PEMSEA Executive Committee (EC) and country- and non-country partners to discuss matters such as updates and the revised program of the EAS Congress 2021; findings of the midterm review of the 2018-2022 Implementation Plan (IP) of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA); proposed focus areas and process for developing the SDS-SEA IP 2023-2027; proposed framework for the PEMSEA Roadmap to 2030; draft Preah Sihanouk Ministerial Declaration; and updates on the impacts of COVID-19 on the operation and finances of the PEMSEA Secretariat.

In this collab, participants were introduced to the eLearning content of Closing the Loop (CTL) Project. Led by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) with the support of the Government of Japan, the project aims to build the tools and technology in measuring and monitoring plastic waste in cities. Using innovations like artificial intelligence, satellite imaging, drones, citizen science, and waste flow modelling, the project is able to pinpoint the source-to-sea movement of plastic leakage and provide sound recommendations to combat the problem of plastic waste.

Experts provided a demo of the project’s eLearning module on detecting waste from land and space as well as a case study on the successful application of modern plastic monitoring tools in Saigon River, Viet Nam; this was followed by a roundtable session to gather feedback and identify gaps and ways forward based on the findings presented with the end goal of increasing the uptake of the project’s eLearning modules and monitoring tools.

Through this training-workshop, participants gained an awareness of NEBA and SIMA and their practical application in oil spill preparedness planning and response. The use of the concepts/tools helps facilitate the discussions between multiple key stakeholders to arrive at an agreed consensus in oil spill-related incidents by using a systematic approach to justify the selection of response strategies. Following the event, Oil Spill Response (OSRL) offered support in the local implementation of these concepts/tools in the Gulf of Thailand for those interested from the audience (e.g., developing further guidance to enable subregional/municipal level execution).

The training covered the concept, framework, and practice of integrated coastal management (ICM) and marine spatial planning (MSP), including the challenges faced, in the EAS region. The training also discussed potential areas for collaboration among the participants and explored ways of utilizing ICM and MSP to achieve regional and global commitments and targets for sustainable development of the EAS.

Korea Maritime Institute (KMI) has been cooperating with East Asian countries and international entities to advance sustainable ocean development and share relevant knowledge and practices. Given the importance of utilizing marine spatial information in this regard, the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI) shared relevant experiences on marine spatial planning, particularly on the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) for various case settings.

The workshop promoted the sharing and exchange of experiences and practices in marine protected area (MPA) management and networking, inviting speakers from the United States and Northeast and Southeast Asia. In particular, the workshop delved on common concerns in MPA management such as improving management capabilities, application of spatial planning tools, monitoring and enforcement, enhancing stakeholder’s participation, measuring the management effectiveness, and establishing partnerships and cooperation between MPAs.

The experiences in MPA networking in Northeast Asia under the framework of the North-East Asian Subregional Programme for Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC) were highlighted. The workshop also delved on the experiences and practices in MPA management and networking under the framework of integrated coastal management (ICM) and scaling up in the EAS.

The event comprised a series of short presentations and panel sessions by project partners from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Viet Nam, and the United Kingdom. Building on the Hub Session delivered by the Blue Communities team during the 2018 EAS Congress, this collab provided an opportunity to share the findings from the project’s research focusing on populations and ecosystems in and around designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and Marine Park to approaches that can support marine planning in the Southeast Asia Region.

While ASEAN’s coastal and marine biodiversity remain to be a significant asset for the region, they continue to be threatened by various issues and challenges. Gleaning from the network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in ASEAN, collaborative approaches and actions are vital in ensuring the effective management of marine biodiversity as well as in linking efforts with larger seascapes. This event highlighted lessons from the site, national, and regional levels that emphasize the importance of transboundary cooperation.

The collab shared information on climate change impacts in the EAS and Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) regions as well as the results of climate change vulnerability assessment and the decision-making guide for ATS. The collab discussed options or best practices in developing/implementing local climate change adaptation strategies for both regions and identified potential areas for collaboration between the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) of Japan, as a PEMSEA Regional Centre for Excellence (RCOE) on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and the UNDP/GEF Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action Phase II (ATSEA-2), the second phase of a regional initiative launched in 2010 to manage the vast coastal and marine resources in the ATS. The second phase aims to take regional collaboration and coordination in the ATS a step further through endorsement and implementation of the ten-year Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the region.

The meeting convened the EC members and country and non-country partners of PEMSEA in order to facilitate a final round of comments and suggestions on the development of the Preah Sihanouk Ministerial Declaration.

The workshop, which was held in Mandarin, shared Chinese experiences in algae artificial breeding and cultivation and rehabilitation of giant seaweed beds that contribute to carbon sequestration. Together with marine planktonic algae, seaweeds constitute the main primary producers of the ocean and provide us with a large number of usable resources. Seaweed species such as kelps provide essential nursery habitats for fisheries and other marine species and thus protect food sources. Other species, such as planktonic algae, play a vital role in capturing carbon and producing oxygen. Seaweeds also have the capability to purify water and reduce ocean acidification and nutrient pollution in seas. They have been widely used in food, medicine, industry, agriculture, and other fields.

This collab highlighted the lessons learned from the ASEAN-Norwegian Cooperation Project on Local Capacity Building for Reducing Plastic Pollution in the ASEAN Region (ASEANO) and from other efforts in Asia to reduce the flow of plastic waste into the ocean by providing examples of approaches to understanding and tackling the monitoring of plastic pollution issues while providing a platform in which peer-to-peer knowledge sharing can take place.

The seminar shed light on the biological and chemical characteristics of biofouling and the economic impacts of invasive aquatic species transferred by biofouling and the ways to obtain information on the economic impacts from relevant industries and other stakeholders; shared information and knowledge on technological and other innovative solutions to combat biofouling; and identified and agreed on cooperation needs across the marine value chain and beyond to support innovative solutions and best practices on data and information sharing, policies, and programs.

The Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Information Platform (AP-PLAT) was established at the 2018 Group of Twenty (G20) Summit in Japan with the vision of helping Asia-Pacific countries to build a climate-resilient and sustainable society. Its activities revolve around: 1) developing scientific knowledge and information related to climate change impacts in the region; 2) providing support tools for stakeholders engaged in policy-making; and 3) providing capacity-building on climate change impact assessment and formulation of adaptation projects. In relation to this, the collab presented useful scientific tools and online capacity-building services available in AP-PLAT and discussed potential areas for collaboration/synergy between AP-PLAT and PEMSEA and the role of IGES as a PEMSEA Regional Center of Excellence (RCOE) and promoter of capacity-building activities concerning AP-PLAT.

The forum brought together experiences and perspectives from Europe and East and Southeast Asia in terms of strategies, tools, mechanisms, and success stories in sustainable plastic production and consumption. The forum was organized under the GIZ-EU project entitled “Rethinking Plastics – Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter,” which supports the transition of select countries in East and Southeast Asia to a circular plastic industry with the end goal of improving resource efficiency and reduced marine litter. The project provides advisory services and pilot projects in close cooperation with regional, national, and local partners.

Close to three decades of developing, implementing, and verifying the effectiveness of integrated coastal management (ICM) in terms of socioeconomic and environmental benefits have driven the replication and scaling up of ICM, covering more coastlines in the various countries in the East Asian Region. The replication and scaling up efforts were made possible with the issuance of necessary policies and supporting legislations by several countries in the region to support ICM implementation.

As scaling up efforts continue to accelerate in the coming decade, it is critical that the next generation of coastal managers and practitioners are adept in ICM principles, concept, framework, processes, and tools to enable them to effectively carry out their tasks and contribute to achieving local, national, regional, and global sustainable development targets in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This event was also held under the World Ocean Week in Xiamen (XWOW) 2021.

The role of blue carbon in climate change mitigation and adaptation has now reached international prominence. Extensive blue carbon studies are helping policy-makers clarify the role and value of coastal resources in carbon sequestration and provide nature-based solutions to climate change challenges. To promote knowledge and experience sharing on blue carbon science and policy and facilitate international cooperation in this regard under the PEMSEA framework, the 2021 International Conference of Blue Carbon was organized as an event of the EAS Congress 2021 and World Ocean Week in Xiamen (XWOW) 2021.

The meeting secured final confirmation on the draft 7th EAS Ministerial Declaration and arrangements in conducting the 7th EAS Ministerial Forum on 2 December 2021.

This is a regional project meeting that discussed the progress of the Blue Solutions project preparation phase.

In June 2021, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) embarked on the planning and preparation of a project designed to build and enhance greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies and capacities in the maritime sector among East and Southeast Asian countries. The IMO/PEMSEA project, which is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMU) of Germany, focuses on interface areas and interactions across ships, ports, and hinterland transport.

Recognizing that decarbonization of the sector requires a transitioning approach with short-, medium-, and long-term targets, initial actions under the project include assessment of emission or energy efficiency baselines and forecasts, development of national strategies and roadmaps, and pilot trials of potential technology solutions and optimized processes for interfacing of shipping to ports and hinterland transport. All actions focus on reducing GHG and other pollutant emissions from ships, in ports, and from the linked hinterland transport. All activities will be coupled with capacity building and knowledge exchange initiatives.

The regional meeting provided an opportunity for the beneficiary countries of the IMO/PEMSEA project, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, to share information on their respective national GHG pilot projects, including their potential contributions to the achievement of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The training covered the concept, principles, and best practices in environmental risk assessment and management of chemical contaminants in water bodies from the standpoint of prospective, retrospective, and tiered approaches. The training also provided an overview of frontier technologies in monitoring and assessment of marine pollution.

With the goal of paving the way for capacity-building and research collaboration in Asia-Pacific, this symposium featured a series of talks on recent advances in pollution monitoring and control technologies, environmental risk assessment of emerging chemicals of concern, and ecological restoration through the eyes of leading experts from Hong Kong. Particular attention was given to toxins or man-made substances that pollute the ocean or affect its living biodiversity.

This collab highlighted the key findings of a study on co-benefits in promoting blue economies in Asia and the Pacific spearheaded by the Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF) in collaboration with the experts in the region. The speakers addressed the importance of managing and optimizing trade-offs and present enabling policies and factors for promoting blue economies in the region.

This was facilitated by the signing of the network’s Charter that formalized the PNLC and specified the ground rules on membership and identified joint activities and outputs amongst its members as well as options for sustainability and funding support.

This convened PNLG members for a General Assembly focused on the review of the 2021 work summary and 2022 work plan of the PNLG Secretariat; adoption of the 2022-2030 PNLG Strategic Action Plan (SAP); election of new PNLG officers; induction of Busan, RO Korea as a new PNLG member; and announcement of Tangerang Regency, Indonesia as the local government host of the 2022 PNLG Forum.

The Conferenced featured a keynote address from the Minister of Environment of the Royal Government of Cambodia; a plenary consisting of TEDx style talks on a number of crosscutting topics, followed by a moderated discussion; the presentation of the conclusions and recommendations from the plenary and the six-month long collabs or knowledge-sharing sessions of the Congress; and a cultural presentation from Cambodia.

Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA). Participants also met new and old faces and enjoyed a night of casual get-together.

The Congress culminated in the signing of the Preah Sihanouk Ministerial Declaration by senior government officials of PEMSEA’s country partners. One integral part of this Declaration is the endorsement of the formulation of the PEMSEA Roadmap to 2030, which aims to combine the values, principles, and key achievements that were carefully cultivated and replicated through years of transforming the EAS Partnership from a regional marine pollution project into a leading regional collaborative mechanism and the available opportunities that will enable the Partnership to maintain its relevance and fit for purpose in the region. The Ministerial Forum included a press conference.