Joint News Release - The second Clean Pacific Roundtable will be held this month (20-22) in Suva, Fiji. The premier Pacific regional meeting will bring over 150 Pacific island delegates together to discuss challenges, solutions and actions to address the different waste challenges across the region.
The Clean Pacific Roundtable enables the monitoring and progress reporting of the Pacific Regional Waste and Pollution Management Strategy, known more commonly as the Cleaner Pacific 2025. In addition, the Roundtable presents an opportunity for regional partners to highlight work undertaken, that is not captured in the Cleaner Pacific 2025.
Leading the coordination of the roundtable is the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), with the support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the European Union (EU), and other partners. The event is being held at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
The inaugural Clean Pacific Roundtable was held in Suva, Fiji in 2016 and its outcomes statement catalysed action to address waste issues across the Pacific region.
“The Clean Pacific Roundtable is still a fairly new regional forum providing our Pacific island Members with the stage to take stock and strengthen our Pacific regional collaboration as we navigate towards a pollution-free Pacific, together,” said Mr Kosi Latu, Director General of SPREP.
“The popularity and interest in this event highlights our commitment to supporting the needs of our SPREP Members. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, we remain dedicated to helping our Members address the ongoing and emerging environment issues through new and innovative ways, such as this Clean Pacific Roundtable.”
This year the Clean Pacific Roundtable will span three days, followed by associated Pacific regional Waste events. The CPRT will focus upon seven key topics, these being: Boosting eco-tourism through proper waste management; Coordinated actions to combat marine debris; Enhancing proper management of hazardous wastes; Ensuring more informed decisions through waste data management; Further enhancement of regional capacity in waste management; Planning and responding to disaster wastes; and regional coordination in recycling.
The Clean Pacific Roundtable will be followed by the inception workshop for the PacWaste Plus (Pacific–European Union Waste Management Programme), which will benefit 14 Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste. With a budget of FJD $40.48 million or 16.5 million euros, it will focus on supporting countries' efforts to improve data and information, education and awareness, develop regulatory frameworks and infrastructure and enhance human capacity.
“The European Union is proud to support the Pacific countries in their work towards the goals of The Cleaner Pacific 2025,” said Mr Christoph Wagner, Head of Cooperation Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific.
“The upcoming flagship PacWaste Plus Programme will result in improved waste and pollution management services, systems and capacities, which in turn will improve public health and protect the environment.”
The Japanese Technical Cooperation Project for Promotion of Regional Initiative on Solid Waste management in Pacific Island Countries Phase II (J-PRIMSII), funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will hold its second steering committee meeting on Friday. For nearly 20 years JICA has been assisting Pacific Island countries in improving the way in which they manage their waste.
Working with nine Pacific island countries in partnership with SPREP, the JPRISM II has four key outputs, these include strengthening the monitoring mechanism for solid waste management in line with the Cleaner Pacific 2025 strategy, enhancing regional cooperation, strengthening the regional capacity of disaster waste management, as well as the 3R’s+ Return system in the Pacific.
“JICA through J-PRISM II continues to support solid waste management in the region with the Overall Purpose of Strengthening the Human and Institutional Capacity Base in the region,” said Mr. Minpei ITO, Director, Environmental Management Team 1, Global Environment Department, JICA.
“The Second Steering Committee meeting of J-PRISM II to be held with the Clean Pacific Roundtable this year surely gives project member countries an opportunity to share good practices and to further strengthen each country’s initiative.”
The week-long events will conclude with a Marine litter and microplastics data collection training session on Saturday with SPREP and the Tangaroa Blue Foundation.
For further information on the Clean Pacific Roundtable 2018 and the topics, please visit https://www.sprep.org/clean-pacific-roundtable-2018
Please contact Nanette Woonton at [email protected] for further details.