ABSTRACT
The countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) achieved a breakthrough at the November 2017 Summit in Manila with the adoption of the landmark declaration that noted the years 2017–27 as the ‘Decade for the Protection of Coastal and Marine Environment in the South China Sea (SCS)’. 1 The joint declaration, adopted along with China, is a step forward towards underpinning the environmental issues in the country’s approach towards them in the domestic and international arenas. The declaration addresses the environmental issues in the waters of the SCS and the impact on the natural resources and living species there. On the contrary, there has been extensive damage to the marine and coastal environment, amidst the geo-political tensions arising out of the overt militarisation and other exploration activities in the SCS region. The various SCS stakeholders have paid little attention to it.
