IORA Webinar Tackles Growing Threat of Marine Debris

By Shruti Menon Seeboo and inputs from Reneska Moodley

The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) hosted a timely webinar focused on empowering member states to address the critical issue of marine debris. The event highlighted the urgency of tackling this problem, which threatens ocean ecosystems, biodiversity, coastal communities, and ultimately, regional economies.

Shamimtaz B. Sadally Roomaldawo, Senior Programme Officer (Blue Economy and Fisheries Management), IORA, opening the webinar, emphasised IORA’s commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among member states. The goal of the webinar was to equip participants with valuable information and resources to develop effective policies and strengthen existing legislation for marine debris management.

Following Dr. Sadally’s introduction, Mr. Suryo Prasojo, a representative from Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, presented their national action plan. Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, faces unique challenges due to its extensive coastline and reliance on marine resources. Mr. Prasojo highlighted the significant economic costs associated with marine debris, impacting fisheries, tourism, and shipping industries.

Indonesia’s plan acknowledges the multifaceted nature of this problem. Lack of public awareness, inadequate waste management infrastructure, and ineffective land-based waste management are identified as key contributors to plastic pollution in the ocean.

To combat this complex issue, Indonesia has implemented a comprehensive strategy outlined in a 2018 presidential regulation. The goal is an ambitious 70% reduction in marine debris by 2025. This plan prioritises five key areas for intervention:

• Regulatory measures: Establishing clear policies and regulations to address plastic pollution.
• Economic instruments: Utilising economic tools like incentives and disincentives to encourage responsible waste management practices.
• Technological advancements: Exploring and implementing innovative technologies for waste collection, recycling, and treatment.
• Data and information: Building a strong knowledge base through data collection and research to guide future strategies.
• Voluntary measures: Encouraging and facilitating public participation in clean-up efforts and responsible waste disposal.

Mr. Prasojo emphasised that successful solutions require a tailored approach that considers local contexts. Indonesia’s national plan serves as a model, showcasing their commitment to tackling this global challenge through multi-stakeholder collaboration.

The webinar delved deeper into specific initiatives implemented by Indonesia. These include the “Love the Ocean” movement, which empowers fishermen to participate in marine waste collection, and the “Subsector Bersih” program, which supports coastal villages in developing sustainable waste management practices.

The IORA webinar concluded with a call for collective action. Eradicating marine debris necessitates a united front, with collaboration and knowledge sharing playing a central role. By working together, IORA member states can ensure a healthier future for their oceans and coastal communities.

Following the presentations on Indonesia’s national efforts, Nishshanka De Silva, founder of Sri Lanka’s Zero Plastic Movement, shared his insights on empowering youth to combat plastic pollution. De Silva highlighted a startling statistic – by 2050, there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish. He presented a video showcasing the high volume of plastic entangled in fishing nets, emphasising the urgency of the problem.

De Silva acknowledged the limitations of traditional cleanup efforts and awareness campaigns. Instead, his movement focuses on empowering youth to become changemakers within their communities. Zero Plastic Movement achieves this through two key objectives:

• Promoting the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle): A network of Zero Plastic Clubs established across universities and communities spearheads educational initiatives promoting responsible plastic consumption.
• Supporting Plastic Alternatives: The movement empowers local entrepreneurs to develop and manufacture eco-friendly alternatives to plastic products, reducing reliance on single-use plastics.

De Silva emphasised the importance of scale. Zero Plastic Movement has mobilized over 100,000 volunteers through their network of changemakers. These volunteers educate communities, conduct clean-up projects, and promote plastic alternatives.

The movement operates on four pillars:

1. Prevention: Educating communities and promoting responsible waste management practices to minimize plastic use at the source.
2. Removal: Utilizing innovative tools like the “Zero Plastic Strainer” – a floating device that captures plastic waste from rivers and canals.
3. Reduction: Encouraging the use of eco-friendly alternatives and supporting businesses that manufacture sustainable products.
4. Assessment: Developing a certification system to recognize hospitality businesses that have eliminated single-use plastics, promoting them to environmentally conscious tourists.

De Silva showcased a range of successful initiatives undertaken by the Zero Plastic Movement, including massive clean-up projects, educational programs targeting various demographics, and volunteer recognition programs. He concluded by expressing his interest in collaborating with IORA member countries to replicate this successful youth-driven model across the Indian Ocean region.

The final session of the IORA webinar featured Mr. Handy Chandra, a Senior Researcher from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency. Mr. Chandra presented a project titled “Design of Marine Debris Collection Facilities: An APEC Example.” This project focused on developing guidelines and recommendations for tackling marine debris in the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr. Chandra highlighted the global threat posed by marine debris, emphasizing its negative impact on fisheries, ecosystems, transportation, tourism, and livelihoods. He pointed out that land-based plastic waste often finds its way into rivers and eventually accumulates in the ocean, creating a problem not just in the Pacific Ocean, as addressed in the APEC project, but also in the Indian Ocean and around the world.

The APEC project aimed to establish guidelines for vessel innovation, fleet management, and international collaboration to address marine debris. The project culminated in a symposium held in Bali, Indonesia, in October 2023, and a final report published in March 2024, which can be downloaded from the APEC website.

Mr. Chandra also presented data on the dramatic rise in global plastic production, underlining the urgency of effective waste management strategies. He showcased three innovative marine debris collection vessels currently under development in Indonesia: a collector vessel for rivers, a collector vessel for small islands, and an incinerator vessel for processing collected waste onboard.

The presentation then delved into the project’s development process. The concept note was submitted in February 2021 and accepted by the APEC Secretariat in August of that year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project symposium was postponed until October 2023.

The symposium featured presentations from representatives of Thailand, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia on their respective efforts to manage marine debris. Examples included Thailand’s dedicated marine debris collection vessel, a hyacinth-clearing vessel used in the Mekong Delta that can also collect debris, and a specialised vessel operated by an NGO in Bali for collecting plastic waste.

Mr. Chandra concluded by emphasising the importance of minimising land-based plastic waste leakage into waterways to prevent marine debris accumulation. He highlighted that existing resources can often be effectively utilised for debris collection, with innovation in vessel design being a secondary consideration. The project underscores the need for international collaboration and knowledge sharing to combat this global challenge.

The IORA webinar also featured a presentation by Catarina Serra-Goncalves from Australia on the newly established Marine and Coastal Resilience Hub. This three-year Indo-Pacific partnership, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, aims to strengthen the resilience of coastal communities facing the combined threats of plastic pollution and climate change.

Ms. Serra-Goncalves emphasised capacity building and knowledge exchange as central pillars of the Hub’s mission. She invited attendees to learn more about the initiative by scanning a QR code that provided access to the official announcement and background information. The core research team is based at the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences (AIMS) in Perth, Australia.

As part of its collaborative efforts, the Hub will be hosting a series of workshops. The first online workshop is planned for the end of September 2024 and will run for three to four days. Subsequent workshops are envisioned to take place in India and Australia. These workshops aim to foster meaningful discussions, similar to the IORA webinar, and promote effective management strategies for addressing the complex challenges posed by plastic pollution and climate change, particularly their combined impacts on Indo-Pacific communities and ecosystems.

The initial online workshop will focus on standardizing methodologies for data collection and sharing across the region. This includes identifying existing datasets, available resources, and critical data gaps related to key habitats and marine life. Ms. Serra-Goncalves encouraged anyone interested in participating in the workshops to contact the Hub via email or through the chat function for further updates.