28 May 2021 – The ASEAN Secretariat has officially launched ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Member States (2021-2025) at a virtual event organised with the support of the World Bank. The launch was attended by representatives from the ASEAN Member States (AMS) and other related organisations.
H E Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary General of ASEAN, said in his opening remarks that most waste in ASEAN, including plastic waste, remains uncollected, leading to its massive leakage into the oceans. He said efforts to reduce marine debris can be conducted through actions such as the use of reusable and recyclable materials, enhancement of waste management, and better access to technology and solution. He also emphasised that addressing the issue of marine debris in Southeast Asia is fundamental in fostering economic growth in the region.
The regional action plan was developed in response to the increasing volume of solid waste and marine debris across Southeast Asia. Countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore generated up to 243 million tons of waste in 2016, of which more than 50% is uncollected. Coupled with the sheer volume of plastic in municipal waste, this makes the potential amount of plastic leakage into the oceans very worrying.
To overcome the challenge, the regional action plan sets out four main focus areas to address the issue: policy support and planning; research, innovation, and capacity building; public awareness, education, and outreach; and private sector engagement. Implementation of the four actions is divided into three phases, starting in 2021 and finalised by 2025. They are: planning; implementation; and monitoring, reporting, and evaluation.
The regional action plan also recognises existing marine debris initiatives in the region. For knowledge sharing and research, ERIA's Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (the Centre); and the Regional Capacity Centre for Clean Seas (RC3S), managed by the government of Indonesia, were cited among the key regional players.
Existing initiatives on research efforts should collaborate with each other to strengthen information and solution sharing related to marine debris, which will further help reduce the gap between research institutions and innovation initiatives in the AMS.
Communication Desk
28 May 2021 – The ASEAN Secretariat has officially launched ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Member States (2021-2025) at a virtual event organised with the support of the World Bank. The launch was attended by representatives from the ASEAN Member States (AMS) and other related organisations.
H E Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary General of ASEAN, said in his opening remarks that most waste in ASEAN, including plastic waste, remains uncollected, leading to its massive leakage into the oceans. He said efforts to reduce marine debris can be conducted through actions such as the use of reusable and recyclable materials, enhancement of waste management, and better access to technology and solution. He also emphasised that addressing the issue of marine debris in Southeast Asia is fundamental in fostering economic growth in the region.
The regional action plan was developed in response to the increasing volume of solid waste and marine debris across Southeast Asia. Countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore generated up to 243 million tons of waste in 2016, of which more than 50% is uncollected. Coupled with the sheer volume of plastic in municipal waste, this makes the potential amount of plastic leakage into the oceans very worrying.
To overcome the challenge, the regional action plan sets out four main focus areas to address the issue: policy support and planning; research, innovation, and capacity building; public awareness, education, and outreach; and private sector engagement. Implementation of the four actions is divided into three phases, starting in 2021 and finalised by 2025. They are: planning; implementation; and monitoring, reporting, and evaluation.
The regional action plan also recognises existing marine debris initiatives in the region. For knowledge sharing and research, ERIA's Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (the Centre); and the Regional Capacity Centre for Clean Seas (RC3S), managed by the government of Indonesia, were cited among the key regional players.
Existing initiatives on research efforts should collaborate with each other to strengthen information and solution sharing related to marine debris, which will further help reduce the gap between research institutions and innovation initiatives in the AMS.
Communication Desk
