19 June 2019
NTS Bulletin June 2019
Collective Response to the Challenge of Marine Plastic Pollution
By The Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS)
Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore
Reducing plastic pollution in the oceans will be on the agenda of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan on 28 and 29 June. Attention to the challenge from the leaders of the world’s major economies is timely and imperative because non-traditional security threats induced by plastic pollution like degradation of the marine ecosystem and contamination of the food chain are increasingly imminent. A crisis of plastic waste is unfolding in many parts of the world now. The Philippines recently shipped scores of containers of waste back to Canada. Malaysia is to send back thousands of tons of waste from around the world like Australia. Against this background, the Basel Convention was amended in May 2019, which requires more transparency and regulation in the global trade in plastic waste.
Several East/Southeast Asian countries, like the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Japan, are important stakeholders for dealing with this challenge, as they are both major contributors to and victims of marine plastic pollution. They have strengthened efforts at the national level, like developing national action plans, specifying targets for reduction, and implementing new policies and regulations. Japan, for instance, adopted a new policy in May 2019 that aims to cut its flow of plastic waste into the ocean and to contribute to the global efforts as well.
The aforementioned waste disputes have highlighted the loopholes in the existing cycle of reuse, reduce and recycle in many countries and the importance of a collaborative approach. Given that marine environmental pollution is borderless and developing countries in particular face mounting pressure for coping with plastic waste from domestic as well as foreign sources, international cooperation is crucial for an effective global solution to the problem.
Japan’s new policy package includes provision of technical and financial assistance for developing countries to tackle the challenge. This may indicate further support for Japan’s existing cooperation with developing countries, like funding the proposed Knowledge Centre on ASEAN Marine Debris in Indonesia. The Asian Development Bank signed an agreement with Indonesia on collaboration in reducing marine plastic debris in early May, which includes technical assistance and knowledge sharing. International cooperation as such can enable better management of plastic waste in developing countries through supporting policy formulation and implementation, encouraging engagement of private sector and other social actors, and bridging partnerships between stakeholders.
Given that marine plastic pollution will be discussed at the forthcoming G20 Summit, it is important that the needs and challenges of developing countries are given sufficient consideration in the discussion. Since Japan is the host and Indonesia, Singapore and China will attend the summit, East/Southeast Asian countries may take the opportunity to feature their perspectives in the global debate. Collaboration in financing and technological innovations should be emphasised as these two aspects are essential for better waste management and reduction in pollution in developing countries.
Click HERE to read more.
Collective Response to the Challenge of Marine Plastic Pollution
By The Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS)
Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore
Reducing plastic pollution in the oceans will be on the agenda of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan on 28 and 29 June. Attention to the challenge from the leaders of the world’s major economies is timely and imperative because non-traditional security threats induced by plastic pollution like degradation of the marine ecosystem and contamination of the food chain are increasingly imminent. A crisis of plastic waste is unfolding in many parts of the world now. The Philippines recently shipped scores of containers of waste back to Canada. Malaysia is to send back thousands of tons of waste from around the world like Australia. Against this background, the Basel Convention was amended in May 2019, which requires more transparency and regulation in the global trade in plastic waste.
Several East/Southeast Asian countries, like the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Japan, are important stakeholders for dealing with this challenge, as they are both major contributors to and victims of marine plastic pollution. They have strengthened efforts at the national level, like developing national action plans, specifying targets for reduction, and implementing new policies and regulations. Japan, for instance, adopted a new policy in May 2019 that aims to cut its flow of plastic waste into the ocean and to contribute to the global efforts as well.
The aforementioned waste disputes have highlighted the loopholes in the existing cycle of reuse, reduce and recycle in many countries and the importance of a collaborative approach. Given that marine environmental pollution is borderless and developing countries in particular face mounting pressure for coping with plastic waste from domestic as well as foreign sources, international cooperation is crucial for an effective global solution to the problem.
Japan’s new policy package includes provision of technical and financial assistance for developing countries to tackle the challenge. This may indicate further support for Japan’s existing cooperation with developing countries, like funding the proposed Knowledge Centre on ASEAN Marine Debris in Indonesia. The Asian Development Bank signed an agreement with Indonesia on collaboration in reducing marine plastic debris in early May, which includes technical assistance and knowledge sharing. International cooperation as such can enable better management of plastic waste in developing countries through supporting policy formulation and implementation, encouraging engagement of private sector and other social actors, and bridging partnerships between stakeholders.
Given that marine plastic pollution will be discussed at the forthcoming G20 Summit, it is important that the needs and challenges of developing countries are given sufficient consideration in the discussion. Since Japan is the host and Indonesia, Singapore and China will attend the summit, East/Southeast Asian countries may take the opportunity to feature their perspectives in the global debate. Collaboration in financing and technological innovations should be emphasised as these two aspects are essential for better waste management and reduction in pollution in developing countries.
Click HERE to read more.
