When: Tuesday, 31 May 2022 at 1pm UTC/4PM EAT
Where: Zoom
What: In February 2017, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the Clean Seas campaign with the aim of addressing the issue of plastic waste entering our world’s lakes, waterways, and oceans through a broad-based, global, public-facing campaign to win meaningful action from governments, industry, and civil society. The campaign has become a catalyst for change, transforming habits, practices, standards, and policies around the globe with 66 Member States having joined the campaign, making significant commitments to prevent and reduce marine litter and plastic pollution entering marine environments. In response to the passing of the 14 resolutions at UNEA 5.2 in February 2022, and specifically the resolution focused on ending plastic pollution, the Clean Seas campaign aims to support the full adoption and implementation of these resolutions, in addition to developing a globally legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution ahead of the Sixth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6).
In the lead up to World Environment Day on 5 June, a select set of Clean Seas partners have been brought together to discuss the ways in which their organization’s efforts are connected through the missions and values embodied by the Clean Seas campaign to continue to lead in protecting our marine ecosystem. Join us to learn more about the ongoing work of our Clean Seas partners and the solutions they are providing in the efforts to end plastic pollution.
Panelists:
David Schurmann, The Schurmann Family Foundation
David Schurmann is a filmmaker and the leader of the Schurmann Initiatives and CEO of Voice of the Oceans. He has directed and produced short films and TV shows, including Fantástico, Globo TV's first partnership and documentary, "O Mundo em Duas Voltas" (“The World in Two Turns”), the series "Expedição Oriente” (“Orient Expedition”), which has been broadcasted in Brazil by National Geographic, and a fictional movie, "Pequeno Segredo" (“Little Secret”), which was nominated in four categories at the Grande Prêmio do Cinema Brasileiro (Grand Prix of Brazilian Cinema). In addition to his filmmaking, David directs Voice of the Oceans, a maritime expedition that is supported worldwide by the UN Environment Program with the aim of documenting the extent of the plastics pollution problem and identify solutions that will preserve the oceans and better our planet.
Gianni Valenti, President of GAIA First
Gianni Valenti is a TedX speaker, advisor and innovator, who has been in business management, creation and consultancy for more than 15 years. The urgent need to tackle environmental issues has pushed him to concentrate on the actions to solution, rather than just advertising the problem and waiting. In 2020 he founded GAIA FIRST, an international environmental NGO based in Paris, whose objective is to fight climate change and re-wild the oceans through large-scale environmental and social impact. GAIA First has volunteers in more than 25 different countries, and is working towards cleaning the oceans in a self-sustaining and green manner. Passionate about nature and life, his consultancies have veered towards environmental and sustainability strategies as a primary objective.
Dipesh Pabari, Co-Founder of The Flipflopi Project
Dipesh Pabari has been involved with innovative approaches to tackling plastic pollution in Kenya for over 15 years and has over 12 years experience championing ethical business models in the private sector, including 9 years as the Operations Director for a leading Outdoor Adventure and Education company. As the co-founder of the Flipflopi Project, a circular economy movement in East Africa that built the world's first 100% recycled plastic sailing dhow, Dipesh has grown the Flipflopi Project from its volunteer driven roots based in Lamu to a full systems approach organisation with activities across East Africa. Flipflopi has received international acclaim as “Africa’s Blue Planet Moment” with formal relationships with the Kenya Government as well as financial support from leading international and multilateral agencies including UNEP, AFD and the FCDO.
Lefteris Arapakis, Co-Founder and Director of Enaleia
Lefteris Arapakis comes from a long line of Greek professional fishers. During the Greek economic crisis, he co-founded Enaleia, a social, non-profit organization, with a vision to make the marine ecosystem sustainable through circular and social economy solutions. Enaleia is dedicated to research and education, and organizing mega marine plastic clean-up projects from the "Mediterranean CleanUp" in the Mediterranean Sea to the "Bahari Safi" in the Indian Ocean. Lefteris was named a 2020 "Young Champion of the Earth" by the United Nations Environment Program and an "Ambassador of the Mediterranean Coast" in 2021. He is a graduate of the Athens University of Economics and Business, a TEDx speaker, an Ashoka Changemaker, and he was listed in the Greek Forbes 30 Under 30 list of 2020.
Heidi Solba, Founder and President, Let’s Do It World
Heidi Solba is the founder, President, and Head of the Global Network at Let’s Do It World NGO (LDIW). LDIW is a global organization that unites more than 164 countries as the biggest active network to coordinate four World Cleanup Days and engage over 60 million volunteers from 191 countries and territories to promote a waste-free world. Heidi is an accredited consultant, assessor, mentor, and trainer with experience working with private, public and non -governmental sectors, with a mix of strategic and practical expertise in Human Resource Management, leadership capacity building, organizational and change management, circular economy, and CSR.
