Capacity Building on Data-Driven Policy Making on Plastic Pollution in ASEAN

At the Seminar 6 on "Regional knowledge sharing and identification of opportunities for enhanced reduction of Marine Plastics Debris" held during the ASEAN-Japan Environment Week during August 22-24, 2023, Hotta made a keynote presentation to provide discussion points for the following panel discussions. This seminar was orgnaized with the following background and purposes. East and Southeast Asian regions are recognised as the biggest contributors to marine plastic pollution due to rapid economic growth, unsustainable production and consumption patterns, and the lack of appropriate waste management infrastructure.
ASEAN member states are also taking initiatives through regional and national policy responses including launching of ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris (2021-2025) and development of national action plans in respective countries.
With an ongoing process for developing an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution through Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in mind, this event aims to (1) share the progress made thus far in the region in its combat against marine plastic debris, (2) formulate a regional input to the INC process, and (3) explore the areas of future ASEAN-Japan collaboration at this commemorative year of ASEAN-Japan relations.