A growing body of evidence sheds light on the catastrophic impact this pollution is having on marine ecosystems, while also underscoring the need for immediate action. If we are to avoid a future in which the amount of plastic debris in the sea outweighs fish biomass, then a business-as-usual approach is no longer tenable.
With a population of almost 700 million people and nearly 150,000 km of coastline, Southeast Asia is a plastic pollution hot spot, home to six of the world’s top 10 plastic polluting countries. But as an epicentre of knowledge and solutions, this region can also help to impact the current crisis and provide a model for sustainable development.
In the next two decades, plastic leakage into rivers and oceans is set to grow by a third, from 6 million tonnes (Mt) in 2020 to more than 9 Mt in 2040 (OECD, 2023) – that’s equivalent to 1.8 million adult elephants.
Six of the top 10 countries considered as the major contributors to (estimated) plastic leakage into marine environments can be found in Southeast Asia (Meijer et al., 2021)
Of the global top 50 plastic emitting rivers, 29 are in Southeast Asian countries (Meijer et al., 2021)
Estimated plastic leakage from ASEAN countries represents more than half (56.7%) of the global total (Meijer et al., 2021)
Marine plastic pollution in Southeast Asia is a cross-boundary issue that presents a number of challenges, divided into four main areas of concern: policy, knowledge and capacity, public awareness and behaviour, and the role of the private sector, as elaborated in the ASEAN Regional Action Plan.
National and regional implementation of countermeasures remains limited, with progress needed in areas such as funding and investment, market stimulation for sustainable alternatives, government procurement and regulations for waste trade. In terms of knowledge and capacity, information gaps need to be addressed through research and coordination, to support improvements in general waste management capabilities among others.
Throughout the region, rapid economic growth is leading to increased consumption. In response, improved awareness through outreach and education can become a catalyst for behavioural change. The private sector has a vital role to play in this paradigm shift, for example by innovating sustainable alternatives and implementing producer responsibility schemes that improve circularity.
The Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris was established under the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) in 2019. The Knowledge Centre’s mission is to provide information and support to ASEAN+3 Member States, thereby helping them to improve the circularity of plastic and prevent leakage into marine environments. Our activities include the following:
Supporting research and data collection that contributes to science-based policy formulation.
Gathering and sharing scientific knowledge to support solution-orientated initiatives and build public awareness.
Facilitating national and regional capacity-building activities.
Developing strong collaborative networks and regional partnerships.
Promoting innovations from the private sector
Solutions for plastic waste in marine environments are within reach. We strongly believe that, by forging collaborations between stakeholders at various levels of the value chain and empowering young people to become agents of positive change, we can and will achieve this goal.
The Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris of ERIA is working to support the development of science-based policies, enhancing research and capacity building, linking strong cooperative networks, conducting timely outreach and public education, and showcasing innovative solutions from the private sector.
Together, these actions are building a cleaner, more sustainable future for marine environments in the ASEAN+3 region. This is an ongoing collective effort. We welcome any and all partnership opportunities that can help to harmonise regional efforts and advance common solutions.
Please explore the website for more information, or get in touch and join us on our mission to protect ASEAN’s oceans from plastic.
For all enquiries related to our activities, and to explore potential collaborations with us, please get in touch.
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