COBSEA Webinar: Uptake of Marine Litter Monitoring Tools and Resources in the East Asian Seas Region

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This webinar is jointly organized by the Integrated Marine Debris Observing System (IMDOS) Secretariat and the Coordinating Body of the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) Secretariat.

Since 2019, with the development of the “Guideline for the Monitoring and Assessment of Plastic Litter in the Ocean” by the Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP), the Bangkok Declaration on Combatting Marine Debris in ASEAN (2019) and the adoption of the COBSEA Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI, updated 2019 [adopted 2008]), significant strides have been taken to understand how much plastic pollution and marine litter exists in the East Asian Seas region. 

A number of methodologies and tools have been developed, tested and evaluated to address marine litter not only support National Action Plan’s (NAPs) but also to strengthen regional harmonization. Yet, fragmentation between efforts remains due to lack of funding, short project cycles, and fragmentation within the regional community.

The aim of this webinar, organized in conjunction with the 2026 World Environment Day 2026, is to showcase examples and the latest open-source innovations and tools from the region and beyond to assess and track marine litter and plastic pollution in the East Asian Seas region. 

• Cases from China and the Republic of Korea
• Open access apps and resources on marine litter monitoring