IGES Centre Collaborating with UNEP on Environmental Technologies (CCET) is pleased to invite you to a hybrid webinar organized in the lead up to the third session of the INC, scheduled to take place on 23 August 2023 in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Title: Regional knowledge sharing and identification of opportunities for enhanced reduction of Marine Plastics Debris

About ASEAN-Japan Environment Week

Co-organized with the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris – Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA-RKCMPD), and the ASEAN Secretariat as a part of ASEAN-Japan Environment Week commemorating 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Japan relations, this workshop shed light on recent development/implementation of national action plans in ASEAN Member States and regional initiatives to combat marine plastic debris particularly in ASEAN+3 region.

With an ongoing process for developing an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution through Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in mind, the event also tries to formulate a regional input to the INC process, while exploring the areas of future ASEAN-Japan collaboration.

The webinar will include framing presentations followed by a panel discussion inviting representatives from two AMS (Lao PDR and Vietnam), OECD, UNEP, ERIA-RKCMPD, and IGES.

PROGRAM

Facilitator: Dr. Premakumara Jagath Dickella Gamaralalage, Director of Centre Collaborating with UNEP on Environmental Technologies (CCET), The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

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Welcome remarks:

• Mr. Michihiro Oi, Director, Marine Environment Division, Ministry of the Environment, Japan  3 min

Framing presentations:

ASEAN+3 Marine Plastic initiatives: Sharing of progress made and future perspectives

• Dr. Yasuhiko Hotta, Programme Director of the Sustainable Consumption and Production area at The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), on Capacity Building on Data-Driven Policy Making on Plastic Pollution in ASEAN  7 min
• Dr. Inthavy Akkharath, Director-General of the Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Lao PDR, on Lao PDR’s advances in plastic waste management, through UNEP Countermeasure project etc. their lessons learned and the way forward 7 min

Panel discussion:

The way forward: ASEAN regional insights for the international legally binding instruments on plastic pollution

• Ms. Palina Khotphouthone, Deputy Director, Environmental Policy Division, Department of Environment of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), Lao PDR
• Dr. Vu Dinh Hieu, Deputy Director, Vietnam Institute of Seas and Islands (VISI), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Vietnam
• Ms. Heidi Savelli-Soderberg, Programme Officer, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• Mr. Peter Börkey, Principal Administrator of Environment Directorate , Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
• Mr. Michikazu Kojima, Senior Advisor, Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris, ERIA

Wrap-up and closing by the Facilitator