ABOUT THE REGIONAL KNOWLEDGE CENTRE FOR MARINE PLASTIC DEBRIS (RKC-MPD)

Today, the ASEAN region is estimated to account for 57% of the world annual leakage of plastic waste to the ocean (Meijer et al. 2021). To address this situation, many Member States have developed their national action plans. Some of them are: Indonesia’s Plan of Action on Marine Plastic Debris 2017–2025, Malaysia’s Roadmap Toward Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018–2030, Thailand’s Roadmap on Plastic Waste Management 2018–2030, and Viet Nam’s National Action Plan for Management of Marine Plastic Litter by 2030.

ASEAN as a group has also taken action. The ASEAN Conference on Reducing Marine Debris in ASEAN Region in 2017 recommended, among others, ‘regional policy dialogue on marine debris pollution issue to promote information and knowledge exchange and regional cooperation’. At the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in 2019, ASEAN leaders launched the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris, which recognises the urgent need to combat marine litter. In 2021, the ASEAN Secretariat has launched the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Member States (2021-2025) proposing integrated approach to address marine plastic pollution in ASEAN over the next 5 years through 14 regional actions.