PEMSEA News

Partner/Collaborator News Calatagan, Batangas — Some 100 representatives of the business community, media, people's organizations, local government units, and international organizations trooped to Ang Pulo Mangroves in Calatagan, Batangas on May 15 for a media forum and mangrove planting activity. The multi-sector event dubbed "Conserve Marine Biodiversity, Conserve Life" forms part of the events organized for the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) 2012 and the National Oceans Month. read more

Partner/Collaborator News Laguna, Philippines — The hot issue of biodiversity and climate change will receive a much-needed public awareness boost when the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Agency for International Cooperation) or GIZ, and the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) launch the special award on "Best in Biodiversity and Climate Change Reporting" at the 16th National Press Forum on April 24 at Traders Hotel Manila. The launch of the special award will be announced at the press forum by Rolando Inciong, head of ACB’s Communication and Public Affairs. read more

Partner/Collaborator News Busan, RO Korea — NOWPAP representatives attended the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held from 29 November to 1 December 2011 in Busan, Republic of Korea, in order to learn the recent developments and priorities of major international donors, including in the field of environment. Organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Government of Republic of Korea, this high level forum was concluded with a declaration of Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.

Partner/Collaborator News Beijing, PR China — The 16th NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meeting (IGM) was held on 20-22 December 2011 in Beijing, PR China. Representatives from NOWPAP member states, Regional Activity Centers, partners and UNEP participated in the annual meeting which approved the NOWPAP work plan and budget for 2012-2013, including the implementation of NOWPAP Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter. In addition, the meeting adopted the revised Terms of Reference for the NOWPAP Regional Coordinating Unit and the Guidance on improving the quality of NOWPAP technical reports. read more

Partner/Collaborator News Singapore — The fourth meeting of the Ocean Policy Institute Network in the East Asian Region (OPINEAR) was held in Singapore on November 24-25, 2011. The meeting was hosted by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (Singapore) and the Center of International Law (Singapore), and participated in by six institutions from East Asia. read more

Partner/Collaborator News Laguna, Philippines — Two international organizations have renewed their alliance to help conserve Southeast Asia's dwindling marine biodiversity. The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) have signed a letter of commitment (LOC) renewing their cooperation to promote the conservation and sustainable use of coastal marine biodiversity. The LOC was signed by Rodrigo Fuentes, Executive Director of ACB, and Raphael Lotilla III, Executive Director of PEMSEA. read more

PEMSEA News Manila, Philippines — The Global Conference on Land-Ocean Connections (GLOC) took place in Manila, the Philippines, from 23-24 January 2012, with the object of providing recommendations for the Third Intergovernmental Review (IGR-3) on the Implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA). IGR-3 took place immediately after the GLOC, from 25-27 January 2012, also in Manila. Over 450 participants, with representatives from 72 governments, and 76 nongovernmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations and industry, participated in the GLOC. read more

PEMSEA News Xiamen, PR China — Dr. Chua Thia-Eng, Chair of the East Asian Seas Partnership Council of PEMSEA, has been awarded as an Honorary Citizen of Xiamen to acknowledge his contribution to the development and implementation of integrated coastal management in Xiamen and promotion of exchanges between Xiamen and international ocean community. read more

PEMSEA News Quezon City, Philippines — Corporations around the world, as well as their shareholders, are becoming increasingly conscious of the need for socially responsible behavior. While corporate objectives normally revolve around financial returns, many corporations do their share in making a difference for the community, in the form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. read more

PEMSEA News Quezon City, Philippines — A Letter of Agreement (LOA) regarding collaboration on climate change research in the EAS region between the Korea Environment Management Corporation (KOEM) and PEMSEA was signed on 30 January 2012 at the PEMSEA Resource Facility. Mr. Kim Hyun-Jong, Vice President of KOEM, and Prof. Raphael P.M. Lotilla, Executive Director of PEMSEA, signed the LOA. The 2012 LOA marks the second collaborative work between KOEM and PEMSEA since 2010 when KOEM has provided support to PEMSEA for the first time for climate change adaptation research in EAS region. The LOA is focused on "Cooperation on Conducting Research on Monitoring and Analysis of Waters in the East Asian Seas Relating to Climate Change." read more

Partner/Collaborator News The 5-week Training Programme (formerly the Training Programme on Regional Ocean Governance for Mediterranean and Eastern European Countries) was successfully organised in Malta for the seventh consecutive year in November-December 2011. read more

Partner/Collaborator News The 9th Focal Points Meeting of the Pollution Monitoring Regional Activity Centre (POMRAC) was held on 25-26 October 2011 in Khabarovsk, Russia. POMRAC focal points and experts participated in the meeting where current activities were reviewed and the workplan for the 2012-2013 biennium were suggested for final approval by the 16th NOWPAP Intergovernmental Meeting to be held in December 2011. read more

Partner/Collaborator News The 3rd NOWPAP Training Course on Remote Sensing Data Analysis training course was held at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia on 8-12 October 2011 with PICES (North Pacific Marine Science Organization which is nicknamed PICES for a Pacific ICES) and IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (IOC/WESTPAC) as co-organizers. read more

PEMSEA News Guimaras Province, Philippines — Twenty-two representatives from the five coastal municipalities: Buenavista, Jordan, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo and Sibunag, provincial and national government agencies attended a three-day training on the establishment of integrated information management system (IIMS Module 1) held at the Guimaras Museum on November 8-11, 2011. The three-day training was jointly organized by the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) and the Provincial Government of Guimaras. read more

PEMSEA News Manila, Philippines — The East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2012 Secretariat launches the Call for Youth applicants for the Third EAS Youth Forum to be held in Changwon City, Republic of Korea, from July 9-13, 2012. read more

PEMSEA News Manila, Philippines — One of PEMSEA's assets is its continuous efforts to pursue excellence and to deliver quality services to the countries of the East Asian Seas region. In order to better facilitate and guide the implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA), PEMSEA embarked on the development of PEMSEA codes, guidelines and good practices that will serve as key informative materials to the countries and various stakeholders in the region. read more

PEMSEA News Manila, Philippines — The PEMSEA Resource Facility warmly welcomed the new Co-Chairs of the EAS Partnership Council's Executive Committee on the occasion of the 9th Executive Committee Meeting in Manila, Philippines. read more

PEMSEA News Manila, Philippines — The PEMSEA Executive Committee has not only doubled in size, but more importantly in strength. Following the election of the three East Asian Seas Partnership Council Co-Chairs in July 2011, the expanded Executive Committee immediately proceeded to business and convened the 9th Executive Committee (EC) Meeting in Manila, Philippines last October 24 to 25, 2011. read more

PEMSEA News Sihanoukville, Cambodia — As a tourism area, Sihanoukville is highly dependent on the fishery sector for its food supply. The State of the Coasts report, however, shows a large disparity on commercial fishery production to that of the small-scale production, pointing to a growing concern on the intrusion of trawl fishing boats within the 20-meter depth and the diminishing fish catch by small-scale fishers. This is despite efforts to establish 19 sites for conservation and protection or about 5,398 hectares of seagrass, coral and mangrove areas. read more

Partner/Collaborator News Seoul, RO Korea — NOWPAP coordinator attended the 16th Senior Officials Meeting of the Northeast Asia Sub-regional Programme for Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC) on 1-2 September 2011 in Seoul, RO Korea. read more