📅 4 – 6 February 2025
Nadi, Fiji
Plastic pollution remains a pressing environmental issue with far-reaching effects. Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into the aquatic ecosystem, polluting lakes, rivers, and seas, adding to an already worsening problem. Plastic pollution can disrupt habitats and natural processes, limiting the ecosystem’s ability to adapt to climate change and directly impacting millions of people’s livelihoods, food production capabilities, and social well-being.
Combating plastic pollution necessitates a comprehensive approach that considers the entire lifecycle of plastic, from production to disposal. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through the UNEP Plastics Initiative, works with governments and stakeholders to stimulate collaboration and develop solutions through global, regional, and in-country projects.
The Pacific region confronts unique challenges in managing plastic pollution due to geographic isolation, limited waste management infrastructure, and reliance on tourism. While their contributions are very limited – less than 1.3 percent of the global mismanaged plastics, the region is the one disproportionately affected by the plastic pollution catastrophe. However, by addressing distinctive challenges and leveraging international support, the Pacific region can make tremendous progress in combating plastic pollution and protecting its pristine marine environments.
UNEP is dedicated to supporting the Pacific Island Countries in their efforts to address plastic pollution. With funding from the Government of Japan, UNEP has initiated the project “Strengthening Plastic Pollution Management in Asia and the Pacific” (Mekong and Pacific Project). This project aims to enhance monitoring and assessment capacities, strengthen the systematic approach to plastic pollution management, and inform policymaking in the Mekong River Basin Countries and the Pacific Island Countries.
Building on a positive momentum to mitigate plastic pollution issues across the region by collective work being undertaken under the UNEP, including a series of trainings and webinars as part of the Mekong and Pacific Project, this 3-day regional workshop on National Capacity Building for Plastic Pollution in the Pacific Island Countries is being organized in Nadi, Fiji.
Objectives
The workshop aims to equip participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to address plastic pollution in the Pacific region effectively considering the specific resource constraints of island countries to ensure more effective outcomes.
By fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and developing strategies, the workshop seeks to:
- Increase awareness and understanding of plastic pollution issues in the Pacific region, empowering participants to take informed action.
- Enhance the capacity of Pacific Island countries to manage plastic pollution, enabling them to implement effective mitigation measures.
