Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA)

Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA)

A. Overview of the East Asian Seas Region

East Asian Seas hold incomparable marine biodiversity, including the world’s largest expanses of coral reef, mangrove and seagrass, underpinning high productivity. However, rapid change over the past decades, including demographic change, social and economic development, and altered lifestyles, have had significant implications for marine environmental health.

Hundreds of millions of people in the region rely on seafood for much of their protein intake, and many nations are major seafood exporters. This drives over fishing, in some instances destructive fishing, and expansion of coastal aquaculture. Agriculture, logging and other land use contribute to siltation and delivery of nutrients, herbicides and pesticides to the marine environment. Disposal of untreated or partially treated wastewater, including domestic, industrial and agricultural wastewater, are significant sources of coastal pollution. With changing economies and lifestyles, marine litter has emerged as a major challenge, and the region may generate as much as half the world’s marine plastic litter. Pollution from maritime transport may have locally severe impacts. There is also significant alteration of the shoreline and coastal environment through reclamation as well as shoreline armouring to address coastal vulnerability to erosion.

These pressures on the marine environment have led to widespread habitat degradation. Over half of the original mangrove cover has been lost, and the annual rate of loss remains high in many countries. The region’s coral reefs, wetlands and seagrass have further sharply declined. Climate change and ocean acidification increasingly add to direct anthropogenic pressures on marine and coastal ecosystems. Ecosystem degradation results in loss of biodiversity as well as ecosystem services and associated economic values that underpin fisheries, tourism and shoreline protection.  

While demographic and development pressures are major drivers of marine and coastal degradation in the region, adverse environmental consequences stem in part from poorly conceived planning of coastal and marine areas and challenges associated with national and regional policy and governance frameworks.

B. Introduction

East Asian Seas boast incomparable biodiversity that supports livelihoods and economic development. Yet marine and coastal ecosystems in the region face a range of threats including unsustainable coastal development, overfishing, ocean warming and acidification, and rampant pollution.

The Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (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 environment and coastal areas of East Asian Seas. 

The COBSEA Strategic Directions 2023-2027 guides COBSEA initiatives across three thematic programmes; (1) marine pollution prevention, reduction and control, (2) marine and coastal biodiversity, ecosystem conservation and management, and (3) climate action. This was developed by aligning with global and regional strategies, including UNEP’s MTS 2022-2025, the Regional Seas Strategic Directions 2022-2025 and other RSCAP Medium-Term Strategies.

The COBSEA Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI), adopted in 2008 and revised in 2019, identifies common priorities and provides a regional framework for cooperation in tackling marine litter. The overall goal of the RAP MALI is to consolidate, coordinate, nad facilitate cooperation and implement the necessary environmental policies, strategies, and measures for sustainable, integrated management of marine litter in the East Asian Seas region. The COBSEA Marine and Coastal Ecosystems (MCE) Framework, adopted in 2023, integrates all programmes, projects, and activities for the conservation and management of the marine and coastal environment of the East Asian Seas. Anchored on the overarching theme of Blue Economy, the MCE Framework provides a clear direction to achieving the relevant targets from the Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

COBSEA is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Secretariat is hosted by Thailand.

C. Background

Aimed at protecting the East Asian Seas marine and coastal environment for the health and well-being of present and future generations, The Action Plan for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment and Coastal Areas of the East Asian Region (the East Asian Seas Action Plan) was adopted in April 1981 and revised in 1994.

The Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) oversees the implementation of the Action Plan and is the sole decision-making body for the Action Plan. At the request of participating governments, UN Environment Programme established the Regional Coordinating Unit for the East Asian Seas Action Plan in 1993, functioning as the Secretariat for COBSEA.

Specifically, the Action Plan is aimed at assessment of the state of the marine environment including effects of marine and land-based activities on environmental quality; and development of coordinating measures for successful implementation of the action plan.  Areas of focus identified include:

• Long-term monitoring and environmental assessment
• Utilization and protection of marine resources
• Development and maintenance of monitoring and environmental assessment programmes
• Management aspects of rehabilitation of vital ecosystems and restoration of ecologically or economically important species and communities
• Quality assurance for pollution monitoring
• Capacity building

D. Organizational Structure

COBSEA has these main structures

1. Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia: decision-making body for the East Asian Seas Action Plan with the overall authority to determine its content and review its programme of implementation including policy decisions concerning all substantive and financial matters. COBSEA discharges its responsibilities through biennial Intergovernmental Meetings (IGM). The IGMs are organized by the COBSEA Secretariat, and are conducted based on UNEA Rules of Procedure. Countries participating COBSEA: Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Viet Nam.
2. National Focal Points: COBSEA National Focal Points act as the official channel of communication between governments and the COBSEA Secretariat. The National Focal Points coordinate participation of and guide national institutions and experts in implementation of programmes and projects. National institutions provide the institutional basis for carrying out the projects under the East Asian Seas Action Plan.
3. COBSEA Secretariat: The COBSEA Secretariat is hosted by Thailand and administered by UN Environment Programme. The Secretariat provides overall technical coordination and supervision of the implementation of the East Asian Seas Action Plan.
4. COBSEA Working Group on Marine Litter: The COBSEA Working Group on Marine Litter is established to promote implementation of the COBSEA Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI), providing strategic as well as technical support and advice to the COBSEA Intergovernmental Meeting and COBSEA Secretariat; exchanging information that supports implementation of the RAP MALI; and promoting regional cooperation in the context of the RAP MALI. The Working Group may also establish Expert Groups to undertake specific functions.

E. Areas of work

Implementation of the East Asian Seas Action Plan is guided by strategies adopted by the COBSEA Intergovernmental Meeting. The current COBSEA Strategic Directions 2023-2027 focuses on

1. Marine pollution prevention, reduction and control:

• 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 (video).
  • Preventing and reducing marine litter from land-based sources. The bulk of marine litter originates on land, arising as a result of unsustainable production and consumption patterns and poor waste management.
  • Preventing and reducing marine litter from sea-based sources, including maritime activities such as shipping and fisheries, which contribute to marine litter through accidental and deliberate discarding.
  • Strengthening monitoring and assessment of plastic pollution and marine litter. One of the most significant barriers to addressing marine litter is the absence of adequate science-based monitoring and assessment programmes.
  • Creating enabling conditions for action, including knowledge-sharing, research, outreach, regional coordination.
• Nutrients, wastewater and sediment: Reducing marine contaminants and nutrients from agriculture, aquaculture, and tourism with strategy and action plan on Reducing Nutrient Excess in the Watersheds and Seas of East Asia (RENEWSEAS) and GEF Clean and Healthy Oceans Integrated Programme (CHO-IP).

2. Marine and coastal biodiversity, ecosystem conservation and management:

The Marine and Coastal Ecosystem (MCE) Framework 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.

• Sustainable Blue Economy: Conserving marine and coastal environment, alongside ensuring inclusive and equitable sharing of resources, and assuring the well-being and livelihoods of local communities.
• Marine and Coastal Spatial Planning: Identifying and planning the use of a marine and coastal space, whether it’s for conservation purposes, fisheries, tourism, and other marine industrial activities.
• Marine Protected Areas (MPAs, including MPA Networks and Other-Effective Area-based Conservation Measures): Providing protection in areas of the marine and coastal ecosystems where human activities are regulated to restore the health of the ocean.
• Marine and Coastal Habitats Conservation and Restoration (coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, and coastal wetlands): Ensuring conservation on coastal ecosystems for its role of important services and value for nature during the implementation of all related activities.

3. Climate Action:

Contributing to climate change mitigation and enhancing climate adaptation and resilience, by supporting and promoting Nature-based Solutions and Ecosystem-based Adaptation.

• • Climate Resilience and Blue Carbon: Reducing vulnerability of livelihoods of small-scale fishers and the food security of coastal communities to climate change and retaining the blue carbon storage capacity of marine and coastal ecosystems.

COBSEA thematic programmes and cross-cutting, foundational and enabling components underpinning the Strategic Directions 2023-2027

F. Partnerships

COBSEA partners with various sectors of society (government agencies, non-governmental organizations, media, youth groups, the private sector, civil society, and the scientific community) to implement programs and activities under the framework strategies adopted by COBSEA. Partnerships are a crucial means to advance implementation of the East Asian Seas Action Plan, including by providing financial support as well as leveraging technical expertise and other resources within as well as outside the region.  

G. COBSEA projects

1. SEA circular (2018-2024): A regional project implemented by COBSEA and the UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific with support from the Government of Sweden. SEA circular aims to reduce marine litter and plastic pollution through better management of the plastic value chain, and directly supports implementation of several provisions of the COBSEA RAP MALI. For further information see SEA circular and COBSEA websites.
2. MA-RE Design (2022-2026): The project works on marine litter prevention through reduction, sustainable design and recycling of plastic packaging focusing on Thailand and is conducted in partnership with GIZ and WWF. Operating at local, national, and regional level, the MA-RE-DESIGN project engages stakeholders along the plastic value chain. On national level, the project focuses on avoiding and replacing single-use plastic packaging and enhancing packaging waste management through. Regionally, the MA-RE-DESIGN project facilitates knowledge exchange with other Asian countries through the UNEP COBSEA for cohesive prevention actions. For further information see GIZ and COBSEA websites.
3. Marine and Coastal Spatial Planning (MCSP): In partnership with Blue Solutions Initiative, COBSEA aims to advance MCSP in the East Asian Seas by building capacity and supporting development of a conducive policy environment. Activities include a regional training and a review of policies to identify recommendations towards an enabling policy environment for MCSP and ecosystem-based approaches. For further information see COBSEA website.

4. Two UNEP GEF projects are underway in the context of the East Asian Seas Action Plan: The USD 15M project ‘Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea (2016-2024)’, which addresses the habitat, land-based pollution and regional coordination components of the Strategic Action Programme; and the USD 3.5M project 'Seeding a Nutrient Pollution Reduction Strategy for the coastal waters of Thailand (2025-2030)’ under the GEF8 Clean and Healthy Oceans Integrated Programme (CHO-IP), which addresses nutrient pollution management through the Reducing Nutrient Excess in Watersheds and Seas of East Asia (RENEWSeas) Strategy and Action Plan. COBSEA has an umbrella coordinating role for these projects. For further information see project website.

5. East Asian Seas Regional Node (2022-): The resumed Twenty-fifth Intergovernmental Meeting (IGM 25) of COBSEA in 2022 established the East Asian Seas Regional Node of the Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter (GPML) as a knowledge management and networking hub on plastic pollution policies, good practices, and capacity-building. The web platform of the Regional Node, linked to the Global Digital Platform, provides access to technical resources, plans, a map of good practices, learning tools and courses, and the regional plastic pollution research data with over 700 peer-reviewed publications from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three region. The Regional Node addresses knowledge and data gaps and fosters multi-stakeholder coordination to achieve the RAP MALI and global goals.
6. Green Fins: COBSEA, together with Reef World Foundation and the Coral Triangle Centre, are implementing a project in Bali financed through the Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility (BNCFF) with IUCN. For further information see Green Fins website.

H. Key achievements

1. COBSEA Strategic Directions 2023-2027, adopted in 2023

Marine pollution prevention, reduction and control:

2. Revised COBSEA Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter adopted in 2019 by the 24th Intergovernmental Meeting of COBSEA

3. The Regional Capacity Center for Clean Seas (RC3S) in Bali, Indonesia, the first COBSEA Regional Activity Centre (RAC) on marine pollution to support the implementation of the RAP MALI

4. SEA of Solutions, an annual multi-stakeholder event facilitating knowledge exchange and partnership-building on marine litter, convened through the SEA circular project

Marine and coastal biodiversity, ecosystem conservation and management:

5. COBSEA Marine and Coastal Ecosystems (MCE) Framework, adopted in 2023, guided by a Working Group on Marine and Coastal Ecosystems (WGMCE).

6. COBSEA’s Regional Resource Document on Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, to support the integration of new approaches into existing spatial planning frameworks and systems

7. Over 600 recreational diving companies across the world continuously and measurably reducing their environmental footprint through ‘Green Fins’, an industry partnership for environmental stewardship initiated though COBSEA for the protection and conservation of coral reefs

8. South China Sea Strategic Action Programme and associated National Action Plans adopted, with two ongoing Global Environment Facility projects towards their implementation  

Climate Action:

9. National Assessment Reports prepared on sea-level rise and coastal erosion in the East Asian Seas

I. Interesting facts about the East Asian Seas region and the Convention

• The first version of the East Asian Seas Action Plan was adopted in 1981 by five countries. In 1994, an updated East Asian Seas Action Plan was adopted with the current  nine participating countries.
• The East Asian Seas region has the richest marine biodiversity in the world; Overlapping with the Coral Triangle, 30% of coral reef, over one third of all mapped mangroves, and more than 2,000 reef fish species in the world
• The seas of East Asia cover a total area of 7 million km², fed by some of the world’s longest rivers such as the Mekong and Yangtze river 
• COBSEA countries have extensive coastlines and a combined sea area equivalent to about 30% of the world’s sea space under national jurisdiction
• Approximately one third of the world’s megacities (cities with a population of more than 10 millions) are located on the coasts of East Asia
• More than three quarters of the region’s total population with approximately 2.3 billion live in coastal areas
• The region heavily depends on fisheries and aquaculture for food and the East Asian Seas produces about 40% of the world’s fish catch and more than 80% of its aquaculture, and is the top region globally for seafood experts
• Marine and coastal industries such as ports and shipping, fishing and coastal tourism comprise 15% to 20% of the GDP in some East Asian countries
• East Asia has the world’s largest expanses of coral reef, mangrove and seagrass. Human activities directly threaten 95 percent of the region’s coral reefs, with half of reefs under “high” or “very high” threat. Mangrove forests have been reduced to half of their historical coverage in the region.
• East Asian Seas countries are estimated to contribute more than half of the plastic waste that flows from land into the sea globally

Contact Us

Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) Secretariat
UN Environment Programme
UN Building, Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok, Thailand
Phone: +66 2 288 1234
Email: unep-cobsea@un.org
Website: www.cobsea.org