ABOUT THE REGIONAL KNOWLEDGE CENTRE FOR MARINE PLASTIC DEBRIS (RKC-MPD)
MICHIKAZU KOJIMA
MICHIKAZU KOJIMA
Senior Advisor
Michikazu Kojima is an economist specialising in environmental policies, especially waste management and recycling in Asian countries. While currently serving as a Senior Advisor on Environmental issues at ERIA, since 2015 he has also been Chief Senior Researcher at the Institute of Developing Economies (IDE) under Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). He has long been actively engaged in the field of international cooperation and also serves as a member of the Expert Working Group on Environmentally Sound Management under the Basel Convention and the Technical Expert Committee for Green Industry Platform by UNIDO, and is a course leader of JICA training courses on recycling policy. He has a Master of Science degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.
REO KAWAMURA
REO KAWAMURA
Director
Mr Reo Kawamura joined ERIA in July 2023 as the Director of the Regional Knowledge Center for Marine Plastic Debris (RKC-MPD). Prior to joining ERIA, he was the Director of the Office of Environmental Education at the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOEJ). During his over 20 years of service in MOEJ, he worked on various issues such as climate change, biodiversity, and the promotion of sustainable fashion. He was recently involved in the new statutory plan for integrated enhancement of Japan’s environment, economy, and society, taking into account recent policy trends including carbon neutral, circular economy, and nature-positive. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) in Environmental Policy Studies from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Columbia University.
AYAKO MIZUNO
AYAKO MIZUNO
Programme Manager
Ayako Mizuno is a programme manager working at the Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (RKC-MPD) in ERIA since November 2020. She is seconded from the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) where she is a programme manager at Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Area. Previously, she held positions in the international development field as part of bilateral and multilateral cooperation for over 12 years in North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean.
AULIA SALSABELLA SUWARNO
Aulia Salsabella Suwarno
Research Associate
Aulia Salsabella Suwarno joined ERIA in January 2023 as a research associate. She’s currently involved in the Research Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris in ASEAN Plus Three countries.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Oceanography at Institut Teknologi Bandung. Her passion for environmental conservation drove her to co-establish a youth environmental organization called Pratisara Bumi, aimed to promote awareness among Indonesian youths through social media. Her educational video about marine plastic debris won first place in the #Indonesia4Climate competition held by FPCI.
Prior to joining ERIA, she worked as a Data Analyst for the Minister’s Delivery Unit of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Indonesia, where she was involved in the formulation of the ministry’s Blue Economy Roadmap for 2045.
Elsa Noviani
Elsa Noviani
Knowledge Management Associate
Elsa Noviani joined the Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (RKC-MPD) of ERIA in October 2022 as a Knowledge Management Associate.
Prior to joining the unit, she worked as a communications specialist for various non-profit programmes including women empowerment, children & education, and public health risk communication programmes.
Elsa holds a Bachelor of Communication Science degree from Universitas Padjadjaran and has more than eight years of communication-related professional experience in both for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.
