The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has highlighted the significance of East Asia regional cooperation on ocean conservation to help solve the cross-cutting challenges of conservation and sustainable use of oceans and marine resources in the region, especially in the Philippines.
DENR Acting Secretary Jim O. Sampulna expressed optimism in the strategy as several seas in the country are linked by transboundary ocean management.
“Our major programs, such as the Manila Bay Rehabilitation, are directly linked to ocean-based adaptation solutions that are considered in the Philippines’ climate change pledge to the Paris Agreement and to help bolster the country’s Blue Economy,” Sampulna said.
Through the Biodiversity Management Bureau, the DENR also implements the Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Management Program, which has been identified as one of the adaptation measures in the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions in the Paris Agreement.
The strategy was highlighted in the Way Forward part of the report as presented by DENR Climate Change Service Director Elenida dR. Basug during a recent webinar hosted by the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA).
“The PEMSEA Resource Facility can provide the required technical support and can strengthen inclusive and action-oriented regional platforms,” Basug said.
She added: “The regional cooperation measures will improve the quality of life of average Filipinos, particularly in the implementation of adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies in our coastal populations, providing sustainable and biodiversity-friendly livelihood options, and ensuring food security for coastal communities.”
“When strategies and programs are implemented accordingly, the drivers and threats of climate change in the coastal and marine ecosystems will be reduced. We will achieve the sustainability of our ecosystem services,” she pointed out.
The role of East Asia regional cooperation in the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and marine resources was further discussed during the webinar, “Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue: East Asian Seas’ Response to the Global Climate Change Challenge.”
It aims to dive deep into the links between the ocean and climate change nexus in the East Asian Seas region. The activity is also in line with this year’s celebration of the World Oceans Day.
The results of the discussion are expected to shape the development of the 2023-2027 Implementation Plan of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia. ###
