Events

Date: 20-22 July 2026
Location: Bangkok
Venue: tbc

BACKGROUND

The Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) in the East Asian Seas host some of the world’s richest marine biodiversity and most productive waters. At the same time, the region is densely populated, fast-growing, and highly vulnerable. Many coastal nations rely heavily on the ocean for food security, employment, economic development, and cultural identity. Yet competition among various sectors for ocean space is escalating.

To celebrate World Ocean Day 2026, COBSEA will participate in two key events in Bangkok, organized by UNESCO and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) of Thailand, respectively. 

1. UNESCO Event – “Our Ocean, Our Future: Learning to Sustain Our Ocean” 

In celebration of World Ocean Day 2026, Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency is organizing community-based clean-up activities on 23 May 2026 in Pramuka Island, Kepulauan Seribu, Jakarta, in cooperation with COBSEA, Regional Capacity Center for Clean Seas (RC3S), COBSEA's Regional Activity Centre on Marine Litter, and other government, NGO and local partners.

Date: 07 May 2026
Venue: SkyView Hotel Bangkok Sky 2

Thai NuRA aims to address marine hypoxic zones by curbing coastal nutrient pollution from tourism, agriculture, and fishing ports and seafood processing in Thailand through the achievement of the following 4 project outcomes:

The Philippines is an archipelagic nation characterized by a unique and highly diverse marine environment. With approximately 13% land area and 87% marine waters, the country’s geography is fundamentally ocean-based. About 78% of provinces and 56% of cities and municipalities lie along the coast, making the well-being of our marine ecosystems closely linked to the livelihood, food security, and resilience of millions of Filipinos.

The Prince of Songkla University (PSU) and the Coordinating Body of the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) are convening a national consultation in Thailand to advance Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for blue climate action, with a special focus on mangrove ecosystems. The East Asian Seas region hosts some of the world’s most important blue carbon ecosystems—mangroves, seagrasses, and tidal marshes—which are critical for climate mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity. These ecosystems, however, are increasingly threatened by climate change and unsustainable coastal development.

ZSL and COBSEA are convening a national consultation in the Philippines to advance Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for blue climate action, with a special focus on mangrove ecosystems. The East Asian Seas region hosts some of the world’s most important blue carbon ecosystems—mangroves, seagrasses, and tidal marshes—which are critical for climate mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity. These ecosystems, however, are increasingly threatened by climate change and unsustainable coastal development.

The Regional Seas Programme (RSP) is convening an Indicators Working Group workshop to revise and update the set of Regional Seas Indicators, which track the state of marine and coastal environments across the Regional Seas Programme.

Date: 07-09 October 2025
Venue: Bangkok, Thailand 

The Asia Pacific Workshop aims to guide countries in integrating the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) to the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans. COBSEA will ensure that the marine and coastal ecosystems priorities are incorporated in this process.

The East Asian Seas & Pacific region will host the third regional Global Fund for Coral Reef (GFCR) workshop, following the inaugural workshop in the Caribbean (Mexico, October 2024) and the second in the Western Indian Ocean (Zanzibar, February 2025).