In 2012, the EAS Congress was convened in Changwon City, Republic of Korea to build on the key outcomes of EAS Congress 2009. Carrying the theme, “Building a Blue Economy: Strategy, Opportunities and Partnerships in the Seas of East Asia”, various mechanisms and strategies for environmental sustainability and economic growth of the East Asian Region were presented and discussed.

The EAS Congress 2012 was hosted by the Government of the Republic of Korea, through the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) and the Changwon City Government and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).