Rationale
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been working on monitoring and evaluating plastic pollution, particularly in rivers, since 2019, with funding from the Government of Japan. Our current project, titled "Strengthening Plastic Pollution Management in the Mekong and Pacific," began in 2023, following CounterMEASURE I and II. The previous stages of the project primarily focused on monitoring and evaluating plastic pollution in rivers and supporting capacity development for the implementation of these practices. However, to address the root causes of plastic pollution from runoff, this forum aims to expand the scope from monitoring and evaluation to implementing solutions that prevent plastic leakage across the value chain. Various solutions to combat plastic pollution are available, including plastic alternatives, advanced technologies, and Extended Producer Responsibility. However, careful consideration must be given to how these new solutions can be integrated sustainably into the current ecosystem. Therefore, this forum aims to exchange experiences and ideas about the effective and efficient implementation of different plastic management solutions across various fields, as well as to accelerate the development of countermeasures against plastic pollution from runoff based on these discussions.
Theme
- Solutions that prevent plastic leakage from runoff across the plastic value chain
- Plastic management from industrial perspectives and multi-stakeholder collaborations
Objectives
- Share diverse approaches: Highlight strategies from political, private sector, academic, and NGO perspectives to combat runoff plastic pollution across the plastic value chain
- Promote innovative integration: Emphasize the sustainable integration of innovative solutions into existing systems with intensive discussions and shared experiences.
