Indicator(s) Development to Assess Plastic Debris’ Impacts on Marine Ecosystem in the ASEAN Region (Desk Review)

One of the obstacles for the ASEAN region to take structured actions against marine litter is the lack of common indicators with which we can assess the negative impacts of plastic pollution. A successful international model in this regard is the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention). Especially, under the Coordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme (CEMP),

OSPAR Convention has been generating comparable data on stress on the marine ecosystem caused by human activities by monitoring plastic particles in stomachs of seabirds, as well as litter ingested by sea turtles. The ASEAN region would benefit from establishing a similar cooperation and monitoring mechanism, feasible and sustainable given the unique contexts of the region in order to assess the impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystem across time and space.