Opening Session
To reiterate overarching theme and provide context for the succeeding sessions, the workshop will commence with messages from event hosts and project partners, followed by a high-level panel discussion to promote community resilience to plastic pollution and climate change in the Mekong River Basin.
Session 1: Reaping rewards - Investing in plastic pollution prevention
The first session is a 60-minute panel discussion with speakers representing the private, public, development, and financial sectors. This session will highlight how international cooperation can drive monetary and non-monetary investments to effectively address the issue of plastic pollution in rivers.
Specifically, this session aims to:
- Provide an overview of the current investment landscape of plastic waste abatement efforts in the Mekong Region as linked to global goals;
- Identify key investment needs and opportunities related to plastic pollution for various stakeholders; and
- Discuss key strategies to leverage the current surge of investments towards countermeasures for plastic waste issues, while delivering benefits for highly vulnerable communities.
Session 2: Monitoring plastic pathways
Session 2 will showcase proven methods and technologies for monitoring riverine plastic pollution while addressing existing knowledge gaps. The session will cover the different approaches by different sectors, innovative technologies, and guidelines for monitoring plastic pollution.
Specifically, this session aims to:
- Present an overview of monitoring and assessment of riverine plastic pollution as undertaken by various stakeholders;
- Identify the knowledge gaps in monitoring and evaluating plastic pollution especially in the Mekong River; and
- Explore ways to scale up the implementation of existing technologies and the associated business opportunities for stakeholders in the Mekong region.
Session 3: Partnerships to end plastic pollution
This session will underscore the role of collaborative action towards plastic-free rivers. The session will be delivered through presentations of successful partnerships and a panel discussion with insights from the private, public, and development sectors to emphasize the critical role of multi-stakeholder collaboration and ways to create lasting impact.
Specifically, this session aims to:
- Demonstrate the critical role of multi-stakeholder alliances towards plastic-free rivers;
- Identify and understand the challenges and opportunities of multi-stakeholder collaboration from different stakeholders' experience and standpoint; and
- Discuss the challenges and opportunities to make collaboration more inclusive, particularly including the local community, as well as how to overcome potential hindrances.
Session 4: Community resilience in the Mekong River Basin
Session 4 will deep-dive into the results of the Mekong Project by featuring insights from the experience of Thailand and Vietnam through presentations by project partners. Through a commentary presentation and a panel discussion, the results of the project will be linked to other efforts on monitoring and assessing plastic pollution and increasing climate resilience by tackling plastic pollution in rivers.
Specifically, this session aims to:
- Discuss shared challenges faced by riverine communities and solutions to overcome them;
- Facilitate exchange of ideas and insights concerning the impact of climate change and plastic pollution to riverine communities with experts, considering the outputs from the Mekong River Project; and
- Seek recommendations on further strengthening project outputs and community successes including how can we build the local resilience for plastic pollution and climate change with meeting of capacity building needs to increase the resilience for the riverine communities.
Session 5: Science-based actions to tackle plastic waste
This session offers a closer look at available technologies to reduce the detrimental impacts of plastic pollution across the plastics value chain – from upstream to downstream. In this session, we seek to identify the keys to success and address potential drawbacks of existing technologies, as well as opportunities to replicate in other communities, cities, nations, or regions.
Specifically, this session aims to:
- Identify latest trends and technologies to prevent and reduce plastic pollution throughout the plastic value chain;
- Recognize best practices and facilitate exchange of insights and experiences between stakeholders; and
- Explore opportunities by first addressing the challenges to effectively replicate successful outcomes in other areas, focusing on community engagement.
Session 6: Voices and actions from the ground
The session provides a space for actors working on the ground to combat plastic pollution to present local actions, including plastic waste management policies by cities through the case of Bangkok and Tokyo. Also, key stakeholder groups will be invited to convey compelling messages and commitments to plastic-free rivers.
Specifically, this session aims to:
- Hear from stakeholders regarding their messages and commitments to achieving plastic-free rivers
- Gain insights into the experiences of major Asian cities with plastic recycling mitigation activities; and
- Identify what is necessary to facilitate more inclusive and effective initiatives that reflect the various stakeholders' perspectives.
Concluding Session
The workshop will conclude with a final panel discussion aimed at taking stock of the recent discussions, new perspectives, and next steps toward plastic waste management and alleviation. It will also aim at linking ongoing global processes on plastic pollution with regional and local actions.
