AIT has joined UNESCO’s newly unveiled ‘The Plastic Initiative’
Dr. Benno Böer - Chief, Natural Sciences Section, UNESCO Bangkok office
https://theplasticinitiative.org/ along with other Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), UN-Habitat, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), National Science Museum (NSM), Thailand and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The Plastic Initiative partnership formally kicked-off at a webinar held on 12 June 2020 to celebrate World Environment Day 2020: Biodiversity. AIT President Eden Woon was a featured speaker at the online event moderated by Dr. Benno Böer, Chief, Natural Sciences Section, UNESCO Bangkok Office.
Spearheaded by UNESCO Bangkok-- Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, The Plastic Initiative aims to support sustainable waste management and behavior in the Asia-Pacific region. Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region do not currently have proper action plans for waste management, including effective solutions to address plastic pollution in countries across the region. The Plastic Initiative intends to provide assistance to countries in the Asia-Pacific region through the implementation of strategies to tackle plastic pollution, the development of sustainable national environmental policies, and the improvement of environmental education to raise awareness among young people.
AIT’s membership in the initiative follows the recent launch of a new 1-year Master’s degree program in Marine Plastics Abatement (MPA) planned for the Fall Semester 2020. Supported by a financial contribution from the Government of Japan, the MPA program will train a new generation of Asian environmental leaders to combat the ocean plastic litter problem through advanced technologies and sound management practices.
Plastic pollution is one of the greatest problems affecting the marine environment today. A staggering 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the world’s oceans every year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The top 6 countries in the world that discharge the most plastic debris into the ocean are in Asia, according to scientific research. The specialized MPA program seeks to empower young Asian practitioners, social entrepreneurs, officials and professionals who can play significant roles in marine plastic abatement, which is key for attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).