The ASEAN Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution 2024 in Lao PDR highlighted ASEAN\u2019s commitment to tackling the plastic waste crisis through regional collaboration.<\/p>\n
Vientiane, 29 October 2024<\/i><\/b>\u00a0\u2013 The
\nASEAN Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution (ACCPP) 2024, hosted this year
\nin Lao PDR, underscored ASEAN\u2019s increasing commitment to addressing the plastic
\nwaste crisis and advancing regional collaboration for sustainable plastic
\nmanagement solutions.\u00a0 Key stakeholders
\nfrom ASEAN Member States, the private sector, innovators, and civil society
\nhave come together to discuss regional strategies for addressing plastic
\npollution. The 2-day conference, hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources
\nand Environment (MONRE) of Lao PDR, in partnership with the Economic Research
\nInstitute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and the United Nations Development
\nProgramme (UNDP) Lao PDR, provided a platform to share knowledge, identify
\nsynergies for regional cooperation, and align policies for tackling plastic
\npollution.<\/p>\n
Under the Lao PDR Chairmanship of ASEAN, two major milestones were
\nachieved to combat this environmental issue:<\/p>\n
The successful hosting of the 2nd
\n edition of the ASEAN Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution (ACCPP)
\n 2024, which was attended by representatives of ASEAN member states, change
\n makers, innovators and other stakeholders.The adoption of the ASEAN Declaration on
\n Plastic Circularity<\/p>\n
These landmark achievements aim to promote circular economy principles,
\nand encourage sustainable plastic use, and reduction of waste across the
\nregion. In his opening remarks, H.E. Mr. Phouvong Luangxaysana, Vice-Minister
\nof Natural Resources and Environment of Lao PDR, highlighted the significance
\nof regional collaboration, stating, \u2018ASEAN Member States are already committed
\n[to reducing plastic pollution] through the Bangkok Declaration on Combating
\nMarine Debris, the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris, and
\nearlier this month, during the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits here in Vientiane,
\nthe ASEAN Member States adopted the ASEAN Declaration on Plastic Circularity..\u2019
\nMme. Martine Therer, Resident Representative of UNDP in Lao PDR, underlined
\nthat \u2018Governments alone
\ncannot solve plastic pollution. We truly need a \u201call-hands-on-deck\u201d approach
\nwith every citizen, company, city, organization also playing their part.
\nPlastic pollution is not just an environmental issue; it is a socio-economic
\nand health crisis that affects every corner of our region.\u2019<\/p>\n
Key outcomes of the conference included strategic discussions on
\napplying circular economy principles, expanding Extended Producer
\nResponsibility (EPR) schemes, and promoting behavioral changes to reduce
\nsingle-use plastics. These actions are expected to drive the growth of green
\nindustries, increase investment in sustainable infrastructure, and encourage a
\ncircular economy that minimizes plastic waste. A shift in consumption patterns
\nand industry practices can reduce plastic pollution, creating lasting change
\nwithin communities. <\/p>\n
The conference was also briefed on the ongoing intergovernmental negotiations
\nwhich aim to develop an internationally binding instrument on plastic
\npollution. Such efforts could strengthen global commitments and policies that
\nprioritize sustainable materials. Participants also highlighted the importance
\nof improving the working conditions of informal waste workers, who play a
\ncrucial role in recycling efforts across the region. Other highlights featured
\nthe introduction of the Global Plastic Action Partnership and a showcase of the
\nUNDP-led Ending Plastic Pollution Innovation Challenge winners.<\/p>\n
Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA, reaffirmed ERIA\u2019s dedication to
\nsupporting ASEAN Member States\u2019 vision, stating, \u2018ERIA remains steadfast in its
\ncommitment to contributing to ASEAN’s efforts in phasing out plastic pollution
\nthrough collaborative and innovative solutions.\u2019 He also expressed satisfaction
\nwith ERIA\u2019s role in formulating the ASEAN Declaration on Plastic Circularity.<\/p>\n
The successful conclusion of ACCPP 2024 marked another significant step
\nin ASEAN\u2019s journey toward a circular economy and a cleaner environment for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The ASEAN Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution 2024 in Lao PDR highlighted ASEAN\u2019s commitment to tackling the plastic waste crisis through regional collaboration. Vientiane, 29 October 2024\u00a0\u2013 The ASEAN Conference…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6674,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-philippines"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6672"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6672\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6673,"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6672\/revisions\/6673"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asianicinsights.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}