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Marine litter negatively affects the environment, people and coastal economies around the world. In the Pacific region, the problem is even more severe given countries’ reliance on healthy ocean ecosystems and services. To promote a Cleaner Pacific, SPREP actively participated in the International Coastal Clean-up Day 2023 through the Agence française de Développement-funded SWAP Project, in collaboration with the Australian funded POLP Project, as well as the ISLANDS Pacific Ocean and PLASTIC TIDE TURNERS Projects. Hence, the SWAP project supported the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in Samoa to conduct a beach clean-up activity. 55 participants volunteered for the preservation of their environment by collecting 35 kg of waste from the mangrove of the village of Vaovai located in the Falealili District, Upolu, Samoa.

Marine litter negatively affects the environment, people and coastal economies around the world. In the Pacific Region, the problem is even more serious as countries depends on healthy and sustainable marine ecosystems. To promote a Cleaner Pacific, SPREP actively participated in the International Coastal Clean-up Days since 2023. This allows Pacific Island Countries to remove more than 13 tonnes of waste from natural environment.

Marine litter negatively affects the environment, people and coastal economies around the world. In the Pacific Region, the problem is even more serious as countries depends on healthy and sustainable marine ecosystems. To promote a Cleaner Pacific, SPREP actively participated in the International Coastal Clean-up Day 2023, for the third year, through the AAgence française de développement-funded SWAP Project, in collaboration with the Australian funded POLP Project, as well as the GEF ISLANDS Pacific Ocean and Plastic Tide Turners Projects. Hence, the SWAP Project supported the Pacific Ocean Litter Youth Project to conduct a beach clean-up campaign. 38 participants volunteered for the preservation of their environment by collecting 78.94 kg of waste at the Public Volleyball Court coastline in Suva, Fiji.

Les déchets marins ont des effets néfastes sur l’environnement, les populations et les économies côtières du monde entier. Pour la région du Pacifique, le problème est d’autant plus grave que les pays dépendent de la santé des écosystèmes marins et de la pérennité des services écosystémiques.

The Director General presented opening remarks and expressed gratitude to Parties and partners for working together in support of the Waigani Convention. The Director General highlighted waste and pollution are part of the triple planetary crisis, with climate change and biodiversity loss. The use of technology and new ways of working to overcome the difficult period during the COVID pandemic was shared

There is a growing recognition that our current take-make-waste linear economy is a significant contributor to overflowing landfills, marine and terrestrial pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss and over consumption of our natural resources. A Circular Economy approach can be used to progress away from a linear economy, to enhance waste minimisation and resource efficiency, and progress greener growth opportunities.

Awareness of waste management in the Pacific Region

Pacific island countries like others around the world are evaluating their plastics use. The global bioplastics market (bio-based and/or biodegradeable plastics) is projected to increase in the next decade with their use in a range of sectors including agriculture/ horticulture, aquaculture, fisheries and food and non-food packaging.

The evaluators from NIRAS International Consulting have produced a suite of products highlighting the Mid-Term Evaluation findings. This video provides a snapshot of the mid-term review findings

Many INC-2 delegated indicated that the scope of the treaty should include plastics alternative and substitutes. However there are no internationally agreed definitions of plastics alternatives nor plastics substitutes. Sound definitions will support fully informed treaty negotiations.