Successful Consultation and Dissemination Workshop on Community-Based Plastic Waste Management in Mangrove

On 7 November 2024, the Consultation and Dissemination Workshop on Setting up a Model for Sustainable Community-led Plastic Waste Management in Mangrove Areas in Indonesia took place from 09:30 to 16:00 Jakarta Time gathering relevant national and international stakeholders.

The event featured notable participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Environment of Indonesia, the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. Additionally, local government agencies from Balikpapan Municipality, Deli Serdang Regency, East Kalimantan Province, and North Sumatra Province alongside various academic institutions and NGOs, contributed their expertise to the dialogue.

In his opening remarks, the Director of the Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris, Mr Reo Kawamura, stated: “This workshop serves as a platform for knowledge exchange, allowing us to collaborate, learn from one another, and strengthen national efforts to protect mangroves from plastic pollution. By encouraging innovative solutions and fostering collective action, we can drive forward meaningful progress in preserving mangrove ecosystems in other parts of Indonesia and beyond.”

This event was part of a broader initiative arising from the "Comprehensive Environmental Cooperation Package on Climate-Biodiversity Conservation-Circular Economy Nexus," established between Indonesia and Japan in August 2022. Under this agreement, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, in collaboration with Japan NUS, launched the “Pilot Project of Floating and Drifted Marine Plastics in Mangrove” in January 2023, focusing on critical locations in Deli Serdang Regency and Balikpapan City.

Throughout the workshop, participants shared insights gained from the pilot project, which aims to support mangrove conservation by mobilising local communities for clean-up activities across Indonesia. The discussions highlighted the severe impact of plastic pollution on these vital ecosystems, which serve as natural filtering systems that can control various forms of pollution, acting as carbon sinks and reservoirs, reducing adverse impacts of climate change, and providing protection from natural disasters.

This initiative marks an important step towards addressing plastic pollution in mangrove ecosystems and reinforces the collective responsibility to preserve these essential habitats for future generations.