Beat the Plastic Pollution in Asia Pacific

The PLASTIC Initiative

There is no ‘Easy-Fix’ to improve the situation. School-clean-up-campaigns are not enough. We need to mobilise
the youth, raise awareness, enhance environmental education, and turn to action. We need to involve
Government authorities to adjust policies and practices, and the private sector to support professional actions to
clean up the mess. Within 152 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves we will test best waste-management practices and
behavioural change and implement the most effective strategies in local communities.

Geographical scope/benefitting All of Asia / Pacific

country(ies):

Duration (in months): 36 months (initially; to be extended by 24 months)

Name, Unit and contact details of
Project Officer(s) :
Benno Böer and Nilesh Sharma (UNESCO Bangkok)
Philippe Pypaert (UNESCO Beijing)
Hans Thulstrup (UNESCO Jakarta)
Guy Broucke (UNESCO New Delhi)
Raza Shah (UNESCO Islamabad)
Miguel Clüsener-Godt (UNESCO SC/EES)
Elvira Götz, Clare Stark, and Iulia Nechifor (UNESCO BSP)
Corresponding address: b.boer@unesco.org

Tentative budget inclusive of US $ 3,500,000

Programme Support costs:

Project Summary & Purpose

Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing global environmental issues
adversely affecting terrestrial, coastal and marine man-made and natural
ecosystems. Not only are plastic ingestion and ghost-nets serious biodiversity threats
to numerous mammals, reptiles, birds and fish, but micro-plastic has also begun to
enter the human food-supply-system via the consumption of marine vertebrates and
invertebrates.

Moreover, unattractive garbage accumulation along beaches of scenic beauty

causes significant economic costs and losses to the tourism industry.
The 2018 theme of World Environment Day 2018 was ‘Beat the plastic pollution’. At
UNESCO, and in particular with a view to nature conservation in reconciliation with
sustainable development and human living, we are taking this issue very seriously.

The Bangkok Post reported about the death of a short-finned-pilot-whale, on 3 rd of

June 2018, killed by swallowing 80 plastic bags. According to the Neue Osnabrücker
Zeitung (23.6.2018) 13 million tons of plastic waste enters the world’s oceans
annually. It is estimated that 12 billion tons will have accumulated in our oceans until
2050. The National Geographic June 2018 edition dedicated a comprehensive 38
pages article to plastic: We invented it – we need it – we are drowning in it. The
article offers highly valuable statistical data. Accordingly plastic production has
reached an annual total amount of 407 million tons in 2015, compared to 100 million
in 1980. Plastic enters the marine systems via major rivers. Asia is especially
contributing to the problem with 15 of the 20 most plastic-polluted rivers located in
Asia, including the Amur, Hai, Ganges, Indus, Pearl, Yangtze, and Yellow. Other
parts of the world also contribute large amounts of plastic-waste, for example through
the waters of the Niger and the Nile rivers. This is an ongoing global and highly
complex issue, and there is no ‘Easy-Fix’ to improve the situation. We are all
responsible.

Areas of massive plastic pollution include extensive marine surface areas in the
north-eastern as well as southern Pacific Ocean, the northern and the southern
Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, as well as the Mediterranean Sea, and elsewhere.
The north Pacific and the Indian Ocean are believed to be the two most plastic
polluted marine areas, both in terms of plastic weight and particles.

The situation is quite dangerous and the problem is getting out of hand. There is no
easy fix, as a lot of good individual activities have shown – the situation is rapidly
worsening – a comprehensive inter-disciplinary approach is absolutely essential in
order to generate meaningful, measurable and widespread impact. The issue is not
new, and awareness raising and school-class clean-up-campaigns are no longer
enough. We need to mobilise the youth, raise awareness, enhance environmental
education, and turn to action. We need to involve Government authorities to adjust
policies and practices, and the private sector to support professional actions to clean
up the mess.

UNESCO, with its World Network of Biosphere Reserves (BRs), as well as its
capacities in the Natural Sciences, Education and Youth Mobilization (MaB Youth
Forum 2017), is capable of playing a substantial role in reducing the problem, and it
has a clear mandate in particular in the Major Programme II. (Natural Sciences), as
well as I. (Education, with a view to DESD). We therefore propose a comprehensive
regional approach throughout Asia/Pacific, minimizing plastic pollution via the
mobilization of the youth in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. BRs are ideal places to
systematically try and test existing and innovative ideas to clean up ecosystems and
to keep them clean, with the involvement of Government authorities, the private
sector and young people.

Think globally – act locally, as suggested during the Rio + 20 Conference, has
become a very useful approach for numerous local contributions to achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals of the Agenda 2030 (SDGs), and that includes the
SDGs of relevance for this proposal, above all SDG 12, 14, and 15. The proposal will
aim at numerous and geographically widespread grass-root-activities, with a massive
cumulative multiplier effect.

Initially a Youth Conference is needed, together with a new fund that allows to
finance the implementation of solutions and actions. The overall aim is to start a
process that should go beyond the financial limits of this specific proposal. The BRs
will function as incubators of change (via testing of many grass-root-level activities,
primarily inside 152 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, in cities and communities, as
well as along water-fronts in Asia/Pacific), including best waste-management
practices and behavioural change. The activities will be replicable and inspire
multiplication activities beyond the borders of the testing sites.

Governments and the responsible private sector will be invited by UNESCO to

provide annual funding, in order to mobilize the required resources for
the successful and scientifically documented implementation of a new Biosphere
Reserve related initiative: The Plastic Initiative. Clean up – Keep Clean.

The proposal is in line with UNESCO’s Main Line of Action (MLA) 2 (Advancing
sciences for sustainable management of natural resources, disaster risk reduction
and climate change action), Expected Result (ER) 6 (Member States have developed
UNESCO designated sites as learning sites for inclusive and comprehensive
approaches to environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainable
development). The proposed initiative contributes to many targets of the SDGs 1, 2,
3, 5, 6, 11, 12, 15, 17, and, above all to SDGs 12 (Responsible consumption and
production) and 14 (Life below water, which is mainly dedicated to coastal/marine
ecosystems).
 Initially a Youth-Conference,
organized with major input from
young people, with young people,
as well as Government
representatives from concerned
authorities/ministries/environment
agencies, regional bodies,
academia, responsible private
sector, specialized UN agencies,
foundations, and others, will take
place to present and discuss
existing and innovative ideas to
clean up and keep clean
concerned ecosystems from the
source (mainly urban
ecosystems), via the rivers to the
Figure 1 Plastic pollution – a major environmental problem
coastal and marine systems.
(Image obtained from Shutterstock)

 Donors will be invited to provide funds to UNESCO via dedicated Fund-In-

Trust agreements, to be mobilized for the above youth conference, the
necessary coordination and communication mechanisms, as well as for the
funding of selected activities to take place mainly inside and/or in support of
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, other UNESCO sites, and elsewhere, aimed at
 minimizing plastic pollution in cities, rivers, along beaches and in the marine
environment. The fund-raising campaign will take place before, during, and
after the above mentioned conference. The present proposal covers a
minimum set of actions in support of the launching and coordination of a long-
term process seeking continuously for applicable solutions, to test them and
disseminate them. As mentioned before, for the very complex issue of plastic
pollution, there is no ‘Quick-Fix’.

 A Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) will be established by UNESCO

including specialists from the UNESCO Offices in Bangkok, Beijing,
Islamabad, Jakarta, and New Delhi, as well as the Division of Ecology & Earth
Sciences, supported by a Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) consisting of
carefully selected young women and men with clearly demonstrated capacities
in environmental management in Asia/Pacific. The overall activity has to be
understood as a long-term process rather than a one-off project. Therefore the
Scientific Steering Committee will be responsible for the organization of bi-
annual conferences ‘Clean-up / Keep-Clean’, and for the monitoring, through
scientific activities, of the effects of the project on plastic-pollution in the
region. The conferences will be so organized that they clearly turn from well-
balanced rhetoric to measurable action and impact, encouraging pledges by
the (young and the experienced) conference participants to carry out action for
the improvement of plastic production, consumption, and waste management.

 Government authorities will be encouraged to discuss the improvement of

their own policies, practices, plans, law and law enforcement, versus plastic-
management.

Project Background

As demonstrated in the Project Summary & Purpose, the global phenomenon of

plastic pollution requires urgent attention. UNESCO has warned against the
unbridled exploitation of natural resources already in the late 1960s and established
the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 1971, with Biosphere
Reserves functioning as models for sustainable human living, or as areas for nature
conservation and sustainable development. They will function as geographical focus,
jointly with other UNESCO sites, as well as adversely affected rivers and cities.
UNESCO has been actively engaged in issues related to plastic pollution, including
with beach clean-up campaigns, resources recycling campaigns, and the production
of scientific publications dealing with plastic pollution, scientific presentations and
activities, with youth-mobilization. UNESCO’s activities have produced some good
results in terms of awareness, environmental education and capacity-building,
however, the situation remains: ‘Plastic not so fantastic’ as one of the UNESCO-
supported activities was called that took place in the United Arab Emirates.

Recent reporting about the massive escalation of plastic pollution, including the death
of a short-finned-pilot-whale in Thailand, that died because of the ingestion of 80
plastic bags, as well as reports of micro- and nano-plastics entering the human food
supply system, as well as extensive plastic-pollution in the oceans, has sent shock-
waves via the media into our communities.
Action, and the multiplication of action are urgently required. Providing and testing
solutions is clearly in UNESCO’s mandate. UNESCO has experience and capacity to
significantly improve the overall situation. However, the support of Government
agencies, foundations and the private sector is essential in order to provide long-
lasting and meaningful financial support. Moreover, Governments should participate
in the proposed conferences, related activities and urgently improve their policies to
reduce and improve the responsible production and consumption of plastic and
plastic waste management practices.

UNESCO’s latest activity was a poster presentation during a regional science-retreat

in Jakarta Indonesia (August 2018), presenting and debating the issue as discussed
above. The participants unanimously requested UNESCO to develop this Concept
Note, and try and mobilize the regional environmental community accordingly
including the youth, Government authorities, foundations, private sector, UN
agencies and others. At UNESCO we are trying to do that starting with this Concept
Note, which we will be sent out to a long list of recipients, hoping that this will provide
positive feedback, and above all the needed funding.

Requirements/Modules of the proposed initiative ‘Clean-up / Keep clean’

1. Review and revise Concept Note (in process).

2. Carry out permanent fund-raising campaign (targeted and crowd-funding).
3. Establish Scientific Steering Committee at UNESCO (SSC).
4. Establish Young Advisors Committee (YAC) with external regional advisors.
5. Organize an initial conference, followed by a series of annual regional
conferences.
6. Establish a dedicated web-site and use of social media to report on success,
progress, and solutions.
7. Invite proposals for grass-root activities ‘Think globally-act locally’. The SSC
will establish strict eligibility and selection criteria, and the YAC will select
the most promising proposals for funding, supported by the SSC. The
eligibility criteria will focus on legality, credibility, and transparency, and the
selection will consider the needs of the donors, in particular impact, visibility,
cost-effectiveness, and replicability. Integrated and realistic multiplier effects
will play a major role for the selection of proposals. It is expected to invite
proposals for activities in three categories ‘Biosphere Reserves’,
‘Communities’, and ‘Waterfront’, and select approximately five to ten from
each category for funding.
8. Evaluate proposals for funding (SSC & YAC).
9. Provide funding and carry out numerous grass-root projects, carefully
selected by the Youth-Advisory-Committee, based on the more experienced
advice of the UNESCO Scientific Steering Committee.
10. Measure and evaluate success of grass-root projects.
11. Present and publicize findings/impact/solutions/failures through
communication and stakeholders mobilization campaigns.
12. Disseminate information to Member States via UNESCO Permanent
Delegations, National Commissions, and directly to stakeholder authorities.
13. Organize next annual cycle calling for proposals, evaluation.
 Modules 7, 8, 9, and 10 will be major parts of this proposal and need major
funding. This is where the clean up and keep clean elements kick-in, with
measurable impact. Existing ideas and solutions, as well as innovative
suggestions will be examined for potential application. This includes
awareness, educative, community involvement, technical and policy
components, and other suggestions aiming at improving human plastic-
related behavior, related to the targets in SDG 12 (responsible consumption
and production), and keeping ecosystem functioning intact in support of
SDGs 14 and 15, as well as in support of other SDGs.

Implementation Sites

For the activities proposed in this Concept Note, UNESCO can rely on different types
of designated sites for implementation in the region: Biosphere Reserves, Creative
Cities, Geoparks, World Heritage Sites, all dedicated to the promotion of Sustainable
Development. Starting up a long term process of change, the present project will
focus its energies on Biosphere Reserves, where innovative grass-root projects
should be developed in priority, even if it is not excluded that similar actions could
also be replicated/emulated in other categories of designated sites, cities,
communities and water-front areas.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are areas comprising terrestrial, marine and coastal
ecosystems. Many of them are located close to or inside important wetlands, rivers,
lakes, coastal and marine areas. Each reserve promotes solutions reconciling the
conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. Biosphere reserves are ‘Science
for Sustainability support sites’ – “special places for testing interdisciplinary
approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between
social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of
biodiversity.” Because of the management systems, resource allocation, association
with academic research institutions, and overall aims and objectives inherent in
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, they have been identified as ideal locations for
relevant ‘Beat the Plastic Pollution activities. Therefore, Biosphere Reserves in Asia-
Pacific countries are prime-locations for grass-root-projects.

In recent developments in the network, Biosphere Reserves include more often

important cities and settlements, and the question of their relationships with major
cities outside their border is the subject of investigations and debates within the so-
called “MAB Urban Areas” focus. The MAB Programme and its network of Biosphere
Reserves in Asia/Pacific are therefore the ideal platform for grass-root actions at the
site level combined with communication and stakeholder mobilization in larger urban
areas, where most of the plastic pollution is generated.

Biannual Conferences:
The first conference should take place in an Asian/Pacific country that shows major
interest and commitment, including financial commitment and in-kind contributions, to
ensure the overall initiative is likely to be successful.

Countries with major environmental plastic foot-prints and serious demonstrated

commitment to solve this regional and global problem, will be considered by the
UNESCO SSC and YAC. Initially it would be hoped that the first initial conference
could take place either in China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand or Vietnam.
During each annual conference, the country/city/location for the next annual
conference will be suggested and decided, based on clearly established factors, such
as political will, resources allocation, and other capacity factors.

Links with 2030 Agenda

‘The Clean Initiative’ will contribute mainly to the SDGs 12

(Responsible consumption and production) and 14 (Life
below water, which is mainly dedicated to coastal/marine
ecosystems). Moreover, plastic pollution originates mainly
on land, and connects mainly through the rivers to the
coasts, meaning the proposal will also be of great
relevance to SDG 15 (Life on land). However, it also
contributes to a number of other SDGs and their targets,
as demonstrated below:

1.5 By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and
reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other
economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters.
Plastic pollution contributes to economic, social and
environmental shocks and disasters with a special view to
seafood supply and human health.

2.3 By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food
producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and
fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive
resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for
value addition and non-farm employment.
Plastic pollution contributes to adverse impacts in the fishing
industry.

3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous
chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
Plastic pollution in urban ecosystems contributes to the blockage
of waste-water drainage systems, which in turn, contributes to
the breeding of water-borne diseases.

5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for
leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.
The participation of women (including young women) is
believed absolutely essential and highly beneficial towards the
initiatives’ overall success. It is therefore important to have a
good and fair gender balance on a rotational Regional Advisory
Committee, and encourage and clearly consider women in
science in the process of selecting proposals for grass-root
 activities that will receive funding. The RAC will also strongly
encourage the participation of young professional women and
men.

6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains,

forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
Plastic pollution clearly is a major factor adversely affecting
water-related ecosystems, including rivers and lakes.

11.6 By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including
by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
Plastic waste clearly contributes to the environmental impact of
cities, including highly questionable municipal waste-dumps,
frequently causing death and injury to the poorest human
compartments, including women and children.

12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all
wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international
frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to
minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.

12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction,

recycling and reuse.

12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt

sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting
cycle.

12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with
national policies and priorities.

12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and
awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.

12.A Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological

capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
Good plastic-waste management is a major factor to achieve
these targets in SDG 12.

14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in
particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.

14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to
avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and
take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
Good plastic waste management practices are absolutely
essential to achieve these two targets.
15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial
and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands,
mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
Good plastic waste management practices are absolutely
essential.

17.7 Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of

environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favorable terms,
including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed.
Environmentally sound plastic waste management technologies
and practices will contribute to achieve this target.

Summary of outcomes, outputs and activities

Outcome N°1: National and regional stakeholders and youth engaged (committed to)
with ‘The Plastic Initiative’

Output N°1: Initiative’s Plan of Action elaborated – Project Document produced

Activity 1: Production of concept note and development of rationale, identification and
mobilization of partners.
Activity 2: Establishment of SSC.
Activity 3: Launch of fund-raising campaign and mobilization of other resources.
Activity 4: Establishment of YAC.
Activity 5: Identification of location for the first Conference, development of its
programme, and establishment and signature of necessary agreements.
Output N°2: Conference’s Outcome Document produced and presented to national
and regional stakeholders
Activity 1: Organization and holding of the conference.
Activity 2: Summary document of the conference produced, including a set of
recommendations for further development and implementation of the project.
Activity 3: Identification and selection of follow-up activities.
Output N°3: Awareness raised on UNESCO’s Initiative
Activity 1: Development and launch of the dedicated web-site and related social medias.
Activity 2: Production of information materials for the promotion of the Clean-up – Keep
Clean campaign.
Outcome N°2: Member States have improved their participation in relevant networks,
and/or management capacity and plans of UNESCO’s designated sites in Asia and the
Pacific as learning sites for science-based best practices to reduce plastic pollution
Output N°1: Evaluation, review, revision and selection of grass-roots project
proposals
Activity 1: Launch of a call for grass-root proposals.
Activity 2: Review of proposals and selection of fundable projects.
Activity 3: Implementation of grass-root projects.
Output N°2: Impact
Activity 1: Assessment of impact of implemented funded grass-root projects.
Activity 2: Monitoring of overall plastic pollution situation in Asia/Pacific based on
scientific activities.
Activity 3: Dissemination of information, policy advises and preparation for next annual
cycle of activities (call for proposals, selection, implementation).
Key Partners

 UNESCO - catalyst; initiator, observer of the project; international networking;

functioning as an advisor and observer of the overall project. Establish SSC
initially with the active participation of Programme Specialists in Bangkok, Beijing,
Islamabad, Jakarta, New Delhi, plus SC/EES (other UNESCO Field Offices in
Asia/Pacific will be invited to support the initiative intellectually and technically
with several functions, including monitoring, supporting events, identification of
potential stakeholders, resources mobilization, media campaigns etc.).

 Ministry of Environment/Science/Natural Resources of Member States –

additional funding, in-kind contributions, functioning as conference hosts.

 Biosphere Reserve Management in Asia/Pacific – field visits; assisting

implementation, support, and monitoring of funded grass-root activities.

 Additional institutions, organization, foundations, donors, companies,

NGOs etc. – funding; in-kind contributions; participate and propose activities; etc.
(Asian Institute of Technology; Thai Research Foundation; others).

Preliminary Budget Outline

Outcome Budget
Outcome 1: Youth Conference ‘Clean-up / Keep clean’ US $ 500,000
1. 2019
2. 2021
(subsidized travel and accommodation and other
conference related costs – two conferences)
Outcome 2: Grass-root activities (2019-2021) US $ 1,520,000

Monitoring activities, challenges, achievements. US $ 120,000 (monitoring)

Evaluate impact, quality and quantitative aspects of US $ 100,000 (analysis and
grass-root activities. evaluation)
Produce and disseminate evaluation report. US $ 45,000 (production and
dissemination of final report)
SSC and YAC operational costs US$ 100,000 meeting costs
(36 months) US $ 108,000 Project
Coordinator
US $ 72,000 Project Assistant
Communication (2019-2021) US $ 225,000

Indirect Costs (support costs 2019-2021) US $ 100,000

Costs for the mobilization of Extra-Budgetary- US $ 360,000
Resources and follow-up
Miscellaneous US $ 250,000

Total US $ 3,500,000