Kampot Province, Cambodia (15 May 2026) — In a significant step forward for regional marine and coastal conservation, the Ministry of Environment's General Directorate of Natural Protected Areas (GDNPA) organized a national consultation workshop to discuss designating the Anlung Pring Protected Landscape as Cambodia's sixth Ramsar Site. Held in Kampong Trach District, the workshop brought together 39 key stakeholders, including national ministries, provincial departments, local authorities, rangers, non-governmental organizations, and community leaders. The consultation sought to build trust, foster local ownership, and secure multi-level institutional consent for the proposed nomination.

Tha Chana, Surat Thani (31 March 2026) – The Marine and Coastal Resources Office 4 hosted a landmark event showing that the future of our oceans is in local hands. The "2026 Shellfish Festival" at Tha Chana celebrated the official launch of new Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) and community-led conservation zones.

The Third Meeting of the Regional Scientific and Technical Committee (RSTC-3) for the SCS SAP Project was successfully convened in Phu Quoc, Vietnam, from 26–28 January 2026. This pivotal gathering, opened by representatives from UNEP and UNOPS, focused on the critical task of reviewing draft Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) reports and documenting over a decade of environmental achievements. The meeting served as a primary platform for the presentation and review of six national and one regional draft TDA reports, which provide the scientific foundation for updating the Strategic Action Programme (SAP). 

On 19 January 2026,  attendees representing national ministries, consultants, technical focal points, and provincial departments from Cambodia’s coastal provinces participated in the SCS SAP critical workshop in Kampot Province, Cambodia. The workshop conducted included presenting Cambodia’s contribution to the regional Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) findings emphasizing on the country’s land-based pollution (LbP) sources such as nutrients, solid waste, wastewater, and plastics.

Dear SCS SAP Colleagues and Friends,

As 2025 concludes, on behalf of the Project Coordination Unit (PCU), I want to reflect on a truly pivotal and impactful year for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand (SCS-GOT) Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs). This year was defined by critical decisions, invaluable in-person collaboration, and the meaningful expansion of our growing SCS SAP family.