COBSEA pleased to join 28th Senior Officials Meeting of the North-East Asian Sub-Regional Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC) with focus on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), including our existing collaboration!! @unep.org @unescap.bsky.social

It was a pleasure to welcome Jimin Hong from the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (@unep-cobsea.bsky.social) to our premises today for very productive talks on current and future cooperation between our organizations. Thanks for visiting @helcominfo.bsky.social

COBSEA joined the PROTECT BALTIC Annual Meeting at the HELCOM Secretariat. COBSEA shared experiences on the "East Asian Seas Regional Collaborative Network of MPAs" and explored cross-regional collaboration between the EAS and Baltic for the 30x30 @helcominfo.bsky.social #Protect #Baltic #EAS #MPAs

Inspiring our future leaders (virtually!) at the Econow side event: Green Value YOUTH X 2025 World Climate Industry Expo Climate Action Youth Live, BEXCO, Busan, 28 August!!

Pleased to join official side event of 6th Forum of Ministers and Environment Authorities of Asia Pacific (virtually) - “Uniting for 30×30: Catalyzing Marine and Coastal Conservation in the Asia Pacific” on 29 August! Highlighted regional marine and coastal ecosystems efforts in the East Asian Seas!

On 15-16 August, a regional knowledge exchange workshop on “Understanding and Accelerating Actions on Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures #OECMs in the Marine and Coastal Areas of East Asian Seas” was co-organized by UNEP-COBSEA, ACB, and SCS-SAP Project in Iloilo City, Philippines.

On 14 August, a joint field trip to the Pedada Integrated Mangrove Ecopark and the Leganes Integrated Katunggan Ecopark (LIKE) was co-organized in between two meetings. To learn best practices and exchange knowledge on the locally managed marine protected areas #MPAs and #mangroves conservation.

On 13 August, COBSEA held the Third Meeting of the Working Group on Marine and Coastal Ecosystems (WGMCE-3) in Iloilo City, Philippines. WGMCE-3 discussed national and regional updates on implementation of first biennial workplan 2025-26 of the MCE Framework, priorities for the next workplan 2027-28

On 11-12 August, COBSEA joined the Second Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Coastal and Marine Ecosystems - Coral Reefs, Mangroves, Seagrass, and Wetlands of the GEF/UNEP/UNOPS Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand (SCS-SAP) Project in Iloilo, Philippines.

Productive courtesy call on DENR Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla! Follow-up discussions with USec. Jonas R. Leones - scope for enhancing COBSEA and SCS-SAP collaboration in the Philippines!! @unep-cobsea.bsky.social @unep.org @thegef.bsky.social

The Twenty-fourth Global Meeting of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans is off to a great start! Held in the framework of the #UNOC3, the meeting took place yesterday, 11 June 2025, in Nice, France. #RegionalSeasProgramme #UNOC3 #UNEP #SDG14 #KMGBF #BBNJ

UNEP Regional Seas Programme at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference Meet COBSEA at the #UNOC3 ! @unep.org #SDG14 #30x30

The Twenty-fourth Global Meeting of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans (RSCAPs) will be held on 11 June 2025 in Nice, France, during the #UNOC3. 👉 Learn more: Regional Seas Programme website #RegionalSeasProgramme #UNOC3 #SDG14

Happy #WorldOceanDay from @UNEP-COBSEA ! 🗓️ Tomorrow at #UNOC3, Part 1- “The East Asian Seas Regional Collaborative Network of MPAs” will be established to scale collective action for 30x30. For more information: www.unep.org/cobsea/event... #MPANetwork #30x30 #COBSEA #WOD2025 #UNOC3 #OceanAction

Celebrating World Environment Day 2025 with Thailand’s Pollution Control Department (PCD), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE)! Capacity building on marine pollution!! @unep.org @unep-cobsea.bsky.social

We have the knowledge to restore ecosystems and the power to stop the flow of plastic pollution. The ocean is resilient, if we give it a chance. We can #BeatPlasticPollution. Now is the time to make it a reality: www.worldenvironmentday.global

For #WorldEnvironmentDay, join the global movement to #BeatPlasticPollution! Communities around the world are taking action for a sustainable future. See how and be inspired to take part: www.worldenvironmentday.global/2025-updates

COBSEA at the #UNOC3! [UNOC3] Scaling Collective Action for 30x30: The East Asian Seas Regional Collaborative Network of MPAs • When: 9 June 2025, 14h00 - 15h00 CET • Where: #ForCoral Pavilion - Auditorium, La Baleine (The Whale), Palais des Expositions, Nice, France www.unep.org/cobsea/event...

[UNOC3] The Twenty-fourth Global Meeting of the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans will be held in the framework of the Third UN Oceans Conference (UNOC-3), at the kind invitation of the Government of France. • 11 June 2025 • Nice, France www.unep.org/events/confe... #UNOC @unep.org

[OOC10] COBSEA moderates Plenary Session 5 - Marine Pollution • Date/Time: 30 April 2025; 10h50-12h20 (KST) • Venue: Auditorium, BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea 📹 Recap video: www.youtube.com/live/3aj2C68...

[OOC10] Collective Action in Implementing the 30x30 GBF targets: Establishing a Regional Collaborative Network of Marine Protected Areas in the East Asian Seas (EAS) • When: 29 April 2025 16.30-18.00 • Where: Room 216, BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea Story: www.unep.org/cobsea/news/...

[OOC10] International Cooperation Seminar on Marine Plastic Pollution Response • Date/Time: 29 April 2025; 14h40-16h10 (KST) • Venue: Room 215, BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea Story: www.unep.org/cobsea/news/...

[OOC10] MSP for Growing Natural Capital: MSP and Co-Use Toward Building Blue Economies in Asia • Date/Time: 29 April 2025; 12h50-14h20 (KST) • Venue: Room 215, BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea Story: www.unep.org/cobsea/news/...

[OOC10] Strategic and Convening roles and contributions of UNEP’s Regional Sea Conventions and Action Plans -addressing the Triple Planetary Crises in the Marine Environment • When: 29 April 2025 11.00-12.30 • Where: Room 201+202, BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea Story: www.unep.org/cobsea/news/...

[OOC10] COBSEA highlighted regional cooperation and partnerships at the Sustainable Ocean Initiative side event: 15 Years of Capacity-Building, Partnerships and Synergies to Achieve Global Goals and Targets for the Ocean • 28 April 2025; 16h20-17h50 • 201+202 BEXCO www.linkedin.com/posts/joe-ap...

[OOC10] Pre-Conference Workshop on Regional Collaborative Network of MPAs in the East Asian Seas • When: 26-27 April 2025; 09h00-17h00 (KST) • Where: Style Hall, Ramada Encore by Wyndham Haeundae, Busan, Republic of Korea Story: www.unep.org/cobsea/news/...

[OOC10] Marine Spatial Planning for Growing Nature Capital: MSP and Co-Use Toward Building Sustainable Blue Economies in Asia When: 29 April 2025 12.50-14.20 (KST) Where: BEXCO (Room. 215), Busan, Republic of Korea www.unep.org/cobsea/event...

[OOC10] Collective Action in Implementing the 30x30 GBF targets: Establishing a Regional Collaborative Network of Marine Protected Areas in the East Asian Seas (EAS) • When: 29 April 2025, 16h30 - 18h00 (KST) • Where: Room 216, BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea www.unep.org/cobsea/event...

[OOC10] Strategic and Convening roles and contributions of UNEP’s Regional Sea Conventions and Action Plans -addressing the Triple Planetary Crises in the Marine Environment When: 29 April 2025 11.00-12.30 Where: Room 201+202, BEXCO, Busan, Republic of Korea More Info: www.unep.org/cobsea/event...

Check out COBSEA 2024 highlights from the COBSEA Newsletters! 🔗 1st Edition (Jan-June): new.express.adobe.com/webpage/56cJ... 🔗 2nd Edition (Jul-Dec): new.express.adobe.com/webpage/hE4s...

COBSEA Collaborative Action Framework on Nutrients Management was approved at the IGM 26 in 2024. The framework aims to establish a collaborative action on nutrients management, covering reduction of impacts from excess nutrient emissions on marine and coastal ecosystems of the seas of East Asia.

The Marine and Coastal Ecosystems (MCE) Framework, adopted in 2023, is a guidance of COBSEA’s strategy on ecosystems and biodiversity conservation and management. The Working Group on Marine and Coastal Ecosystems (WGMCE) was established for the implementation of the MCE Framework.

The 2019 Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI) guides COBSEA’s plastic pollution and marine litter action in the East Asian Seas. The COBSEA Working Group on Marine Litter (WGML) is a mechanism for knowledge-sharing and coordinating actions towards achieving the RAP MALI.

The Strategic Directions 2023-2027 provides guidance on achieving targets for Sustainable Development, with a focus on three thematic programmes: 1) marine pollution prevention, reduction and control; 2) marine and coastal biodiversity, ecosystem conservation and management; and 3) climate action.

COBSEA is a regional intergovernmental mechanism bringing together nine countries (Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Viet Nam) in development and protection of the marine and coastal environment of East Asian Seas.

The Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) oversees the implementation of the East Asian Seas Action Plan, which was adopted in April 1981 and revised in 1994. Recently, the 26th Intergovernmental Meeting (IGM) of COBSEA was hosted by Cambodia, in Siem Reap, during 23-25 October 2024.

COBSEA is one of 18 Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans (RSCAPs), covering East Asian Seas. Since 1974, UNEP Regional Seas programme is a global flagship programme implemented through regional frameworks for cooperation, management and protection of shared marine and coastal environments.

UNEP | Regional Seas | COBSEA Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) oversees the implementation of the East Asian Seas Action Plan, adopted in April 1981 and revised in 1994. COBSEA is one of the 18 UNEP Regional Seas Conventions and Actions Plans. www.unep.org/cobsea/