PEMSEA E-UPDATES Vol. IV Issue 09 September 2003
Biodiversity: A Major Focus in the East Asian Seas Congress in December
PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA -- The growing issue of biodiversity loss and the efforts
needed to address it will be a major focus of discussion and action in the East Asian Seas
Congress 2003, to be held on 8 to 12 December 2003, in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
East Asia is considered the center of global marine biodiversity. Its coral, seagrass and
mangrove ecosystems in particular, support a high diversity of associated species of
plants and animals many of which provide a major food source for the people in the
region and consequently, contribute significantly to the region's social and economic
development. For instance, it is estimated that one-fourth of the world's marine fish
production is contributed by East Asia.
But the region's biodiversity is in the red. Coral reefs are at risk from destructive fishing
practices, pollution, the endangered species trade, and overfishing. Mangroves are
disappearing due to deforestation, pollution and conversion for coastal development, and
the same can be said for what ails the region's seagrass beds. It is estimated that at the
current rate of conversion, there will be no more mangroves by 2030.
A workshop on biodiversity will be held during the EAS Congress and will shed light on
the value of marine biodiversity in the region and delve into the national and regional
efforts put forth to protect its resources. The workshop will be under the guidance of the
United Nations Development Programme-Global Environment Facility (UNDP-GEF)
Regional Service Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Dr. Balakrishna Pisupati, Head of the IUCN-
Regional Biodiversity Program will lend his expertise as Keynote Speaker for this
workshop.
The Congress in Putrajaya is a significant event where environmental forerunners from
across the East Asian region will join forces to seek ways in securing the welfare of
coastal and marine environments in East Asia and ultimately, improve the quality of
people's lives. A roster of highly distinguished speakers from different parts of the globe
which includes Former President Fidel V. Ramos of the Republic of the Philippines; the
World Bank's Environment Department Director, Dr. Kristalina Georgieva; and
Chairman of Malaysia's Environmental Quality Control Council, Datuk Koh Wei Kiat
will take part in the Congress, which will be a venue for the development of a common
framework of action for the East Asian Seas, also known as the Sustainable Development
Strategy for the Seas of East Asia.
The East Asian Seas Congress 2003 is being organized by GEF/UNDP/IMO Partnerships
in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia, and the Department of
Environment (DOE), Malaysia. It is hosted by the Ministry of Science, Technology and
the Environment (MOSTE), Malaysia.
For more information, please contact:
The Congress Secretariat
Email: congress@pemsea.org
Website: http://way.to/seascongress
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2502, Quezon City 1165, Philippines Telephone: (632) 920-
2211, 926-3752 Fax: (632) 926-9712, 426-3849.
More and More Countries Joining Top Ministerial Forum
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- Hon. Nabiel Makarim, Minister of Environment of
Indonesia, Hon. Hayao Hora, Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of
Japan, Hon. Datuk Seri Law Hieng Ding, Minister of Science, Technology and
Environment of Malaysia, and Hon. Chang Seung-Woo, Minister of Maritime Affairs and
Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, will be representing their respective countries in the
Ministerial Forum on the Sustainable Development of the Seas of East Asia, scheduled
on 12 December 2003 in Putrajaya, Malaysia. This brings to eight, the number of
countries having officially confirmed participation in the forum. Other high-level
participants include Hon. Mok Mareth, Minister of Environment of Cambodia; Hon.
Wang Shuguang, Administrator of the State Oceanic Administration of PR China; Hon.
Elisea Gozun, Secretary of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural
Resources; and Hon. Pichate Satirachaval, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Transport
of Thailand.
The Ministerial Forum is part of the East Asian Seas Congress 2003. It provides a venue
to discuss the state of the region's environment and natural resources and to agree on a
common framework of actions for the East Asian Seas. Other concerned ministers from
the PEMSEA participating countries are also expected to attend the forum, which will
consider the final draft of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia
(SDS-SEA) and a declaration of regional cooperation for adoption.
Aside from the Ministerial Forum, the Congress will also feature the International
Conference on the Sustainable Development of the East Asian Seas: Towards a New Era
of Regional Collaboration and Partnerships. Congress side events will include the 3rd
Forum of the Regional Network of Local Governments (RNLG) Implementing Integrated
Coastal Management, the Media Forum on Partnerships in Environmental
Communication, and the Multidisciplinary Experts Group Meeting.
ICM Playing a Major Role in Danang Development
DANANG, VIETNAM -- Three years of integrated coastal management (ICM) practice
in Danang has contributed to major improvements in the city's coastal areas.
According to People's Committee Vice-chairman, Mr. Hoang Tuan Anh, persistent ICM
campaigning on environmental awareness and capacity building of local staff have
resulted in a better understanding of the concept of integrating environmental protection
with development and the building of stakeholder consensus.
Danang is currently undergoing major infrastructure development and the changes are not
coming at the cost of the environment. Sandy beaches are being preserved with a buffer
zone established; shorefront houses were removed with affected families relocated to new
housing estates; daily city clean-up is being done; and a shoreline rehabilitation project is
ongoing along the 12-km long Nguyen Tat Thanh Coastal road where a shorefront
embankment, complete with beautifully paved and landscaped walkways, is being built.
Danang is a PEMSEA ICM demonstration site. The site is geared towards strengthening
the local capacity to plan and manage coastal areas. A Project Management Office and a
Project Coordinating Committee have been established. Major activities of the project
include assessment of coastal resources and their utilization; evaluation of environmental
risks to public and ecosystem health; formulation and implementation of strategies;
functional zoning schemes; action plans; and institutional arrangements which ensure
effective implementation and enforcement.
ICM An Eye-Opener for Cavite Stakeholders
TRECE MARTERES, PHILIPPINES -- In a meeting with local stakeholders and
PEMSEA staff on 15 October, Cavite Provincial Governor, Irineo Malkisi expressed
strong support for Cavite Province to develop its own integrated coastal management
(ICM) site and committed "100 percent cooperation and assurance to ensure success of
the project."
The meeting was made through an invitation of Governor Malkisi who wanted to learn
more of PEMSEA's activities, particularly on ICM and on how to develop an ICM
parallel site. Around 90 stakeholders attended the meeting, which included
representatives from government and non-government organizations, PEMSEA, and the
Manila Bay Environmental Management Project. The meeting was seen as an "eye-
opener" for the stakeholders in the province on the potential of ICM. Special emphasis
was placed on Cavite's location being one of the coastal provinces of Manila Bay, and on
the strategies the province will use in order to fit well into the plans and objectives of the
Manila Bay Environmental Management Project.
As a result of the meeting, the province is currently organizing a technical team to
coordinate with local government agencies and with PEMSEA regarding the possible
development of an ICM parallel site in Cavite, and consultations with local stakeholders.
Cavite province has ongoing activities to help sustain its environmental resources. These
initiatives include: mangrove rehabilitation; riverbank and coastal cleanups; the
establishment of a 6 ha. fish sanctuary in Maragondon coastal area; and the enforcement
of all relevant environmental laws and ordinances. Other future activities currently being
proposed include the establishment of a user's fee for water use; the treatment and
disposal of hazardous hospital wastes; and the enhancement of the province's existing
wastewater analysis laboratory. ICM is seen as a viable management framework for the
province to orchestrate these numerous development plans.
Regional ICM Leadership and Capacity Given a Boost
PASIG CITY, PHILIPPINES -- Regional leadership and capacity in integrated coastal
management (ICM) was strengthened with the recently concluded Regional Workshop on
ICM Leadership and Capacity Building held on 22-30 September. Twenty-nine
participants composed of managers, directors, and key project site personnel from
PEMSEA ICM Demonstration and parallel sites in Cambodia, DPR Korea, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Philippines, PR China, Thailand and Vietnam, attended the workshop.
The eight-day workshop was designed to build a strong core of ICM managers within the
region, who can effectively establish and implement integrated environmental programs.
The workshop re-examined the concept, framework and approaches of integrated
management, and discussed effective tools and techniques for implemention and
sustainability. The workshop also included field visits to PEMSEA ICM sites in Bataan
and Batangas provinces.
The workshop was highly interactive, providing the participants with opportunities for
sharing of experiences and lessons learned and discussion of implementation issues. The
participants found that experiences gained over the past 2 1/2 years have generated a
wealth of knowledge that can be distilled and shared. During the field visits to Bataan and
Batangas, for instance, it was recognized that public-private partnerships are a significant
element of ICM project implementation. To promote further knowledge sharing,
workshop attendees recommended cross visits among PEMSEA ICM sites to promote a
greater understanding of ICM program implementation under varying environmental,
political, and economic conditions.
PEMSEA Exchanges Experiences with Chesapeake Bay
ANNAPOLIS, U.S.A. -- A sharing of experiences in coastal and marine environmental
management between PEMSEA and Chesapeake Bay stakeholders was held from 1 16
September 2003. The initiative was a part of UNDP/GEF IW-LEARN's efforts in
promoting inter-project exchange and knowledge sharing.
PEMSEA Senior Programme Officer, Dr. Huming Yu, attended a series of meetings with
16 government and nongovernment organizations, at the State and Federal levels,
involved in the environmental management of Chesapeake Bay. The meetings provided
PEMSEA with the opportunity to learn of Chesapeake Bay's achievements, experiences,
and lessons learned in environmental management.
An effective feature observed from Chesapeake Bay was the management of pollution
from non-point sources. Industrial and municipal sewage go through tertiary treatment,
but storm water run-off is a major concern. State governments and other stakeholders also
encourage good practices in land use such as reforestation, zero wetlands loss, soil
erosion control, and environment-friendly construction practices in containing the
negative impacts of urbanization. PEMSEA observed that the lessons learned from these
practices would be very useful for East Asian countries, particularly in PEMSEA's
efforts in Manila Bay and Bohai Sea.
PEMSEA also shared its experiences in integrated coastal management (ICM),
subregional sea area management, and the sustainable development strategies at the local,
national and regional levels. During the discussions, Chesapeake Bay stakeholders
expressed an interest in the East Asian experiences, particularly in the development of
cross-sectoral management mechanisms with a broad participation of stakeholders,
integrated land and water use zonation, and sustainable aquaculture practices.
PEMSEA, Chesapeake Bay, and other partners are currently planning to develop further
ways and means of promoting cross-site sharing in the integrated management of river
basins and associated seas.
Batangas Stakeholders Declare Commitment to Support ICM
NASUGBU, PHILIPPINES -- The integrated coastal management (ICM) experiences of
Batangas Bay in Batangas Province, have been replicated to the adjacent bays in the
western part of the province. The Balayan and Adjacent Bays' Summit, held on 28
August 2003 presented and discussed a proposed ICM plan for the coastal areas along the
bays of Balayan, Talim, Pagapas and Nasugbu in Western Batangas, and to mobilize
support and commitment towards its successful implementation.
Over 156 participants from government and nongovernment organizations, people's
organizations, volunteer groups, fisherfolks, industries, and the media attended the
summit, which served as a venue for presenting the ICM plan for the watershed, coastal
areas, and municipal waters along the four bays. The plan identifies various programs and
projects, which will be pursued through integrated efforts of the stakeholders for the next
25 years. The plan's programs include livelihood and enterprise development,
information base improvement and management, habitat restoration and management,
and governance and community mobilization. To signify their support for the ICM plan,
a declaration of commitment was signed by representatives of all participating
stakeholders.
The plan was developed from several studies to assess the real conditions in the area and
through various consultations among a wide array of stakeholders. The plan, upon
legitimization and final approval, will serve as a guide for all stakeholders in the area to
ensure the sustainable use of the four bays. The Provincial Government Environment
and Natural Resources Office will act as the lead provincial government department in
spearheading the project in partnership with the WorldWide Fund (WWF) for Nature
Philippines.
Batangas is seeing possible amendments to provincial ordinances created when ICM was
first applied in the province, since ICM application is no longer confined to Batangas Bay
alone.
Initiated in 1994, a PEMSEA ICM demonstration site was developed in Batangas Bay to
demonstrate the application of ICM for effective prevention and management of marine
pollution.
PEMSEA Builds Capacity in Safe and Efficient Port Operations
PORT KLANG, MALAYSIA -- PEMSEA conducted a set of trainings on Port Safety
and Environmental Management System (PSEMS) in Port Klang, Malaysia on 8-12
September, and on Port Auditing in Bangkok, Thailand on 15-19 September as part of its
new initiative of developing an integrated management system for ports known as
PSEMS.
The PSEMS training workshop in Port Klang was organized by PEMSEA in cooperation
with the International Maritime Organization and the Port Klang Authority (PKA). The
training familiarized port personnel on the process of establishing a port safety and
environmental management system. Given that there are no internationally recognized
standards, guidelines or codes which provide an overall safety and environmental
management framework for port authorities and operators, the PSEMS is designed to fill
the gap in safety and environmental management of ports.
The training was also meant to make Port Klang a working model for the application of
PSEMS in the East Asian region. Seventeen individuals composed of the PKA's PSEMS
project team, port operators in Port Klang, and safety, health, and environment officers of
other major ports in Malaysia participated in the training, where an action plan for
establishing the PSEMS in Port Klang was developed.
The Port Audit Training in Bangkok, Thailand, familiarized its 15 participants with
international and national regulations related to the transport and handling of dangerous
cargoes, port safety auditing techniques, and the conduct of an actual port safety audit
exercise. Individuals from the Port Authority of Thailand and Laemchabang port
participated in the training. One of the products of the training was the establishment of
port audit teams, which for the next four months will conduct an initial port audit of
Bangkok port and Laemchabang port.
The port audit of Bangkok and Laemchabang is a first step in establishing a PSEMS. The
audit is meant to determine the present situation in the port or company where they stand
in comparison to national and international rules and regulations, standards and practices.
The audit will provide the port authorities with the necessary information as to the sectors
requiring improvements and will enable them to define the objectives to be achieved in
their PSEMS.
The development of PSEMS is seen as a step to enhance the quality and safety of
operation and pollution prevention in ports, factors which PEMSEA considers important
for social, economic, and environmental well being of countries in East Asia.
PEMSEA Participates in International Global Placement Program
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- Mr. Stacy Belbin and Ms. Karla Pope are PEMSEA's
newest interns, funded by the Marine Institute of Memorial University of
Newfoundland's International Global Placement Program. Both are young professionals
from Canada who are eager to apply themselves to new and unique experiences.
Mr. Belbin will assist in enhancing the GIS databases of PEMSEA integrated coastal
management (ICM) demonstration sites, and in the collection, analysis, and packaging of
information to be used for the development of integrated coastal use zoning for Bataan
Province, under the Manila Bay Environmental Management Project (MBEMP). Ms.
Pope will be involved in the implementation of the information, education and
communication program, and civil society mobilization for MBEMP. She will also be
assisting in publicity and material requirements of the East Asian Seas Congress 2003.
The Global Placement Program aims to provide recent graduates with valuable work
experience to aid in the transition from school to the work force; assist in the operations
of host organizations; and strengthen linkages between Canadian institutions and partner
agencies abroad. PEMSEA is one of nine organizations that has partnered with the Global
Placement Program and will provide challenging and rewarding experiences for both
interns, throughout the duration of their six-month internship.
The program complements PEMSEA's objectives in providing young professionals with
hands-on training in specific areas of coastal and marine resource management.
Xiamen Regional ICM Training Center Goes Online
XIAMEN, PR CHINA -- The Xiamen International Training Center for Coastal
Sustainable Development (CSD-Train International) has developed its own website in an
effort to bring information and experiences in integrated coastal management (ICM)
online.
CSD-Train International was established with the signing of a Memorandum of
Agreement between the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), The Xiamen Municipal
Government, and Xiamen University on 30 July 2001.
Designated as a PEMSEA Regional Center for Integrated Coastal Management, CSD-
Train International aims to meet domestic and international training needs on the
enhancement of sustainable development awareness and ICM. Its pool of expertise and
experiences are derived from the experiences of Xiamen University and other research
and education institutions, the ICM practices in Xiamen, and the experiences of
PEMSEA ICM demonstration sites.
CSD-Train International can be visited at http://icsd.xmu.edu.cn/en-ctc/.
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