ENB @ East Asian Seas Congress, Haikou, China, 12-16 December 2006

[The East Asian Seas Congress 2006]

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The East Asian Seas Congress
Haikou, China | 12-16 December, 2006

EAS Congress Prepares for Ministerial Forum

On Wednesday, participants at the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress convened in plenary to hear a keynote presentation, followed by thematic workshops on, inter alia: securing the oceans; safer shipping and cleaner oceans; certifying sustainability; and local government financing for water, sewage and sanitation. Two special seminars focusing on ecosystem-based management and on coastal and ocean governance were held in the afternoon. In the evening, delegates attended the PEMSEA Recognition and Awards Ceremony to honor contributions by individuals and organizations to sustainable development in the EAS region.

Above: Magda Lovei, the World Bank, gave a keynote address describing coastal areas as "engines of wealth," but cautioning that growing environmental degradation is having significant economic costs. She outlined the World Bank's Framework Strategy for East Asian Partnerships, highlighting tools such as policy and institutional support for sustainable marine, coastal and watershed management, loans, and policy dialogue on water utility reform and environmental regulation.

Wednesday, 13 December
Thematic Workshops
David VanderZwaag, Dalhousie University, Canada, gave an overview of regional cooperation in coastal and ocean governance.	Richard Johnson, International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation, presented a risk factor assessment of oil spills in the EAS region.	Edmond Ho, Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong, discussed Hong Kong's beach water monitoring programme.
Anjan Datta, UNEP-GPA Coordination Office, spoke on the outcomes of the GPA Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting and the implications for future GPA implementation in the East Asian region.	Tracy Hart, the World Bank, spoke on the costs of unmet demands for clean water and sanitation in East Asia.	Daniel Chan, Oil Spill Response Limited and East Asia Response Limited (OSRL/EARL), noted that the oil industry has adopted a tiered response approach to oil spills.
Kem Lowry, University of Hawaii, highlighted PEMSEA as a successful example of a network for regional ocean management.	Carrie Dean, Foundation for Environmental Education, Denmark, provided an overview of the Blue Flag Programme.	Terttu Melvasalo, former Programme Coordinator, Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), presented on HELCOM activities aimed at the protection of the Baltic Sea environment from all sources of pollution.
Rogelio Juliano, Executive Director, Coastal Management Center, the Philippines, chaired the special seminar on ecosystem-based management.	Hocine Chalal, the World Bank, presented on a revolving fund in Egypt, which aims to provide incentives to polluters to improve their environmental management capacity and performance.	So-Min Cheong, University of Kansas, US, spoke on emerging fields of study relating to the relationship between humans and the natural environment.
Panel discussion on PPRF in East Asia. L-R: Kamran Khan, Tracy Hart, Igor Xalar, Mary Jane C. Ortega, Paul D. Lazaro, Hocine Chalal, Juergen Lorenz.
Around the Congress
During a lunchtime launch of his new book The Dynamics of Integrated Coastal Management, Chua Thia-Eng thanked PEMSEA colleagues for their assistance.
In the evening, PEMSEA held a Recognition and Awards Night, recognizing organizations and individuals that work to address critical issues which contribute to sustainable development in the East Asian Seas region. Above: Chua Thia-Eng, PEMSEA, and Jianxin Zhu, IMO, with Othman Ibrahim from the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia, which was recognized for its safety, health and environmental management system.