Nadi, 5 February 2025: An ERIA delegation participated in a workshop called ‘National Capacity Building for Plastic Pollution in the Pacific Island Countries’ in Nadi, Fiji from 4 to 5 February 2025. During the event, which was co-organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Government of Japan, the ERIA team shared ASEAN perspectives on tackling plastic pollution.
Reo Kawamura, Director for ERIA’s Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris, ERIA, delivered a presentation in ‘Session 1: Plastic Pollution and Challenge in the Pacific’ on 4 February. He highlighted the shared challenges in addressing plastic pollution across the Pacific and Southeast Asia regions. Despite a stark difference in plastic emissions, both regions are affected by almost equal levels of microplastic pollution. He also identified common waste management challenges in small islands and shared best practices to overcome such challenges in both regions. While showing some documented evidence of willingness and commitment in countries across both regions, he underscored the need for global schemes that offer capacity building and practical support to effectively combat plastic pollution in the two regions.
On 5 February, ERIA Research Fellow Fusanori Iwasaki participated ‘Session 5: Transition to Circular Solutions’, where he discussed extended producer responsibility (EPR) in the ASEAN and East Asia region. He described existing legal frameworks for EPR in the region and highlighted several good practices such as recycling system designs, green public procurement, as well as waste collection and transportation systems that could be relevant to the Pacific Islands region.
Director of the Knowledge Centre
Nadi, 5 February 2025: An ERIA delegation participated in a workshop called ‘National Capacity Building for Plastic Pollution in the Pacific Island Countries’ in Nadi, Fiji from 4 to 5 February 2025. During the event, which was co-organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Government of Japan, the ERIA team shared ASEAN perspectives on tackling plastic pollution.
Reo Kawamura, Director for ERIA’s Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris, ERIA, delivered a presentation in ‘Session 1: Plastic Pollution and Challenge in the Pacific’ on 4 February. He highlighted the shared challenges in addressing plastic pollution across the Pacific and Southeast Asia regions. Despite a stark difference in plastic emissions, both regions are affected by almost equal levels of microplastic pollution. He also identified common waste management challenges in small islands and shared best practices to overcome such challenges in both regions. While showing some documented evidence of willingness and commitment in countries across both regions, he underscored the need for global schemes that offer capacity building and practical support to effectively combat plastic pollution in the two regions.
On 5 February, ERIA Research Fellow Fusanori Iwasaki participated ‘Session 5: Transition to Circular Solutions’, where he discussed extended producer responsibility (EPR) in the ASEAN and East Asia region. He described existing legal frameworks for EPR in the region and highlighted several good practices such as recycling system designs, green public procurement, as well as waste collection and transportation systems that could be relevant to the Pacific Islands region.
Director of the Knowledge Centre
