Managing Pollution Across Administrative Boundaries —Bohai Sea Environmental Management Project (BSEMP) Chen Yue Department of International Cooperation State Oceanic Administration People’s Republic of China

Contents I. Introduction to the Bohai Sea II. Signature of the Memorandum of Agreement III. Implementation of the Bohai Sea Environmental Management Project IV. Outcomes of BSEMP

I. Introduction to the Bohai Sea The Bohai Sea is an enclosed water body. It covers an area of 77,000 square kilometers. It has a coastline of 3,784 kilometers. Its average water depth is about 18 meters.

Introduction to the Bohai Sea About 40 rivers flow into the Bohai Sea. The river basins which drain into Bohai Sea cover an area of about 1.4 million square kilometers and support a population of 445 million.

Introduction to the Bohai Sea Major environmental impact area in this region is the Wide Bohai Sea Area (WBSA), which covers Bohai Sea itself and the adjacent provinces and municipalities, namely Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Beijing and Tianjin.

Wide Bohai Sea Area (WBSA)

Wider Bohai Sea Area (WBSA) The WBSA is as one of the major centers of economic development in China. In 1999, the WBSA accounts for 22% of China’s GDP. It produced some 40% of China’s seafood, 70% of China’s sea salt and 19% of China’s offshore oil and gas. It functions as an important maritime outlet for China’s landlocked Great West and Northeast provinces, as well as a Euro-Asian transportation link. As such, it handles about 23% of China’s maritime transportation.

Wider Bohai Sea Area (WBSA) Apart from its strategic importance in the regional trade and transportation, the WBSA also functions as a key link within the larger marine ecosystem of the Yellow Sea.

II. Signature of the Memorandum of Agreement In July 2000, a Memorandum of Agreement pertaining to the Bohai Sea Environmental Management Project was singed between SOA and IMO in Dalian.

The Objectives of BSEMP Develop a working model to manage pollution hot spots across legal and administrative boundaries Foster collaboration to jointly reduce waste discharges and control of marine pollution

The Objectives of BSEMP Enable the local governments to adopt the integrated management approaches and mechanisms, pollution risk assessment, waste reduction programs, ecosystem based zoning scheme, and cross sector pollution monitoring.

The Objectives of BSEMP The BSEMP emphasizes that stakeholder consultation and participation and training should be the essential elements throughout the project process.

Bohai Declaration on Environmental Protection In order to show the determination of managing, protecting and improving the environment of Bohai Sea, leaders from SOA and governments of provinces and municipanlities surrounding Bohai Sea signed “Bohai Declaration on Environmental Protection”.

III. Implementation of the Bohai Sea Environmental Management Project

A. Project Management Mechanism

B. The Establishment of Five Demonstration Sites in Bohai Sea Area The West Coast in Dalian Panjin in Liaoning Qinhuangdao in Hebei Tanggu in Tianjin Laizhou Bay in Shandong

C. The National Legal Framework for Implementing BSEMP Marine Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Management of Sea Area Use

D. Other National Plans Related to BSEMP Integrated Bohai Sea Environmental Improvement and Management Plan (SOA) Cleaning Sea Action Plan (SEPA)

E. Project Activities Conducted Development of the Strategic Environmental Management Plan for the Bohai Sea Establishment of the Web Site for Bohai Sea Environmental Management Project Publication and Distribution of Brochures related to Protecting Bohai Environment

IV. Outcomes of BSEMP The implementation of the Bohai Sea Environmental Management Porject will go on till September 2004.

Outcomes of BSEMP The final success of the Bohai Sea Environmental Management Project will be marked by: --Development of a special law for Bohai Sea environment management; --Establishment of a management mechanism for decision-making, coordination and management of affairs related to Bohai Sea.