International Waters Projects in Asia and the Pacific
Marine
Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystems Phase II (BOBLME)
Overexploitation of marine resources and the increasing impacts of climate change are threatening fisheries and related industries in a region that produces seven percent of the world’s fish catch and supports more than 450 million people. BOBLME II is five-year project working in seven countries that addresses this vital source of sustenance and livelihoods through developing effective multi- country governance arrangements to improve sustainable fisheries, protected areas management and regional species conservation while building coastal community resilience to climate change impacts.
Promoting the Blue Economy and Strengthening Fisheries Governance of the Gulf of Thailand through the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (GoTFish)
The Gulf of Thailand Large Marine Ecosystem covers 391,665 square kilometres and is bounded by Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Viet Nam. Its highly productive marine ecosystem is a global centre of marine biological diversity and provides a wide variety of ecosystem services critical to its coastal populations such as food security, nutrition and livelihoods. GoTFish addresses unsustainable fishing pressure in the Gulf of Thailand through tackling the key barriers to sustainable transboundary fisheries management through implementation of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) that contributes to the South China Sea Strategic Action Programme (SCS-SAP).
Freshwater
Enhancing Sustainability of the Transboundary Cambodia-Mekong Delta River Aquifer (CMDA)
The 200,000 square kilometre area of the Cambodia Mekong Delta Aquifer is a complex system and vital source of life for 35 million people that depend on its groundwater for drinking, irrigation and other essential needs. Its growing critical challenges include rapid groundwater level decline, land subsidence and increasing arsenic, salinity and other contaminants that threaten water quality and quantity. As a first of its kind project focusing on transboundary aquifer management between Cambodia and Viet Nam, the CMDA will strengthen transboundary governance and improve groundwater recharge and sustainable use.
Fostering Water and Environmental Security in the Neun–Ca and Ma Transboundary River Basins and Related Coastal Areas
Continuing development on the Neun-Ca and Ma adjacent river basins in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam is leading to changes in flows through hydropower reservoirs, deforestation through agricultural expansion and other activities that impact flows and forest cover, increasing water withdrawals, and emergency dam releases that contribute to flooding. Climate change is also increasingly affecting the two basins. The Neun-Ca and Ma is the first bilateral project between the two countries focused on the river basins, and addresses resource management and ecosystem health through transboundary cooperation and action that adopts a source-to-sea approach linking with ongoing initiatives in the sector and directly informing design, assessment and planning in a range of shared basin investments.