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.

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. Discussion regarding the impacts, sources, pathways, and their transboundary relevance were reviewed. From this, plenary feedback sessions were conducted to gather stakeholders’ inputs on data gaps, monitoring challenges, and institutional constraints relevant to Cambodia’s contribution to the TDA on land-based pollution. 

The workshop concluded with an agreement on revisions and next steps for finalizing the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and land-based pollution(LbP) report. Suggestions and inputs from stakeholders at national and provincial level will be incorporated in the final TDA and LbP report and will serve as a critical foundation for developing regional and national actions to reduce land-based pollution and protect Cambodia’s coastal and marine ecosystems.

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.

Seven community-based organisations across the East Asian Seas have been awarded a total of USD 350,000 through the SEA Grants program to protect and conserve marine and coastal ecosystems in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand.

The health of the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand faces immense pressure from land-based pollution, making the upcoming Third Meeting of the Regional Working Group on Land-Based Pollution (RWG-LbP) in Batam, Indonesia (26-28 November 2025) a pivotal event. This meeting is critical for the SCS SAP Project ("Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand") as it drives coordinated regional action against one of the basin's most significant environmental threats.