Denpasar, Indonesia – To further bring ASEAN and the Pacific closer, Indonesia organised the “ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Workshop on Marine Plastic Debris” on (15/06).
One of Indonesia’s priorities as the Chair of ASEAN in 2023 is to focus on the Pacific. Bringing together ASEAN and the Pacific is one of the concrete implementations of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific proposed by Indonesia in 2019.
The issue of marine plastic waste management was chosen as it is a shared challenge faced by ASEAN and Pacific countries.
In her opening video message, Indonesia’s Minister for Environment and Forestry, Dr. Siti Nurbaya, emphasised that “the Indo-Pacific perspective as an interconnected region is crucial in tackling the issue of marine plastic waste.”
Meanwhile, in her video message, New Zealand’s Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, Rachel Brooking, stated that “the ocean has become a dumping ground for all types of pollution, from plastic to toxic chemicals, and countries in the Indo-Pacific are at the centre of the marine plastic crisis.”
It is estimated that plastic waste in the ocean will account for more than 80% of all marine debris by 2050.
Therefore, it is important to promote broader Indo-Pacific cooperation by involving the Pacific region in addressing the issue of marine plastic waste, emphasised by Minister Dr. Siti Nurbaya in her opening video message.
The workshop featured speakers and participants from ASEAN countries and members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), including Cook Islands and Kiribati.
The attendance of speakers and participants from PIF also marks the initial step in ASEAN-PIF cooperation.
The workshop’s speakers and participants also visited the Temporary Waste Processing Site (TOSS) in Klungkung and observed examples of harmonious sustainable living practices in Penglipuran Tourism Village.
The workshop took place at the Regional Capacity Centre for Clean Seas (RC3S) in Bali on 15 June 2023.
The workshop was organised through cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, RC3S Bali, the New Zealand Mission to ASEAN, and PIF.
Source : Kemlu
