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MARINE LITTER: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations-Background Document

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MARINE LITTER: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations-Background Document PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations-Background Document PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER Qgreen Team Mapping Existing Initiatives & Organizations Background Document December 2020 PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations-Background Document PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations A Qgreen Background Document December 2020 PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations-Background Document Qgreen Plastic Pollution & Marine Litter: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations – Background Document Prepared on behalf of Qgreen by: Maria Tsakona, International Waste Management Consultant, CEO of Qgreen Angeliki Maria Kaplani, Environmental Scientist & Circular Economy Consultant Acknowledgements Cover photo: Nikos Rigas, Graphic Designer Disclaimer The contents of this publication are believed, at the time of publication, to accurately reflect the state of the existing marine litter and plastic pollution initiatives and organizations, nevertheless Qgreen accepts responsibility for any errors remaining. This publication was prepared from Qgreen by the authors. About Qgreen Qgreen is a private company applying the principles of circular economy and being a part of the solution for green sustainable development. One of its goals is exploring the link between sound solid waste management and resource recovery systems and preventing the marine litter and plastic pollution from occurring in the first place. https://www.qgreen.gr/en/ PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations-Background Document PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations-Background Document Contents BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 AGREEMENTS & CONVENTIONS ................................................................................................................... 4 EXISTING INITIATIVES & ORGANIZATIONS .................................................................................................. 6 Global, Regional and National Plastic Pollution & Marine Litter Initiatives and Organizations in Alphabetic Order .......................... 6 Key Marine Litter Initiatives & Organizations .................................................................................................................................... 9 Global Partnership on Waste Management (GPWM) ........................................................................................................................... 9 Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML)....................................................................................................................................... 12 Global Initiative on Marine Litter - UNEP Regional Seas Programmes ................................................................................................ 16 The International Coastal Clean UP(ICC)-Ocean Conservancy ............................................................................................................ 19 Trash Free Seas Alliance® - Ocean Conservancy ................................................................................................................................. 21 Algalita Marine Research Foundation ................................................................................................................................................. 23 The 5 Gyres Institute ........................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Waste Free Oceans .............................................................................................................................................................................. 28 KIMO International .............................................................................................................................................................................. 32 The Ocean Recovery Alliance .............................................................................................................................................................. 35 Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Findings ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 A “MAP” OF PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER INITIATIVES & ORGANIZATIONS ........................................ 69 PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations-Background Document Abbreviations & Acronyms ABLM: Associação Brasileira do Lixo Marinho MARPOL: International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships AHOEEG: Ad-Hoc Open-Ended Expert Group MCS: Marine Conservation Society ALDFG: Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear MPF: Malaysian Plastics Forum ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations NAMEPA: North America Marine Environment Protection AUSMEPA: Australian Marine Environment Protection Association Association AWGCME: ASEAN Working Group on Coastal and Marine NGO: Non-Governmental Organization Environment NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration BAT: Best Available Technologies OSEAN: Our Sea of East Asia Network BEPs: Best Environmental Practices OSPAR: Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment CBD: Convention on Biological Diversity of the North-East Atlantic CMS: Convention on Migratory Species PACPOL: Pacific Oceans Pollution Prevention Programme CPIA: Canadian Plastics Industry Association PEMSEA: Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas CPMR: Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of East Asia DEPI: Division of Environmental Policy Implementation POPs: Persistent Organic Pollutants EPA: Environmental Protection Agency RAP: Regional Action Plan EUCC: Coastal & Marine Union RFBs: Regional Fisheries Bodies EuPC: European Plastics Converters RSCAP: Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization RSPs: Regional Seas Programmes FEEE: Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe SAICM: Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management GIS: Geographical Information System SDGs: Sustainable Development Goals GPA: Global Programme of Action SIMA: Surf Industry Manufacturers Association GPML: Global Partnership on Marine Litter TURMEPA: Turkish Marine Environment Protection Association GPWM: Global Partnership on Waste Management UKRMEPA: Ukrainian Marine Environment Protection Association HELCOM: Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ICC: International Coastal Clean UNEA: United Nations Environment Assembly IMDC: International Marine Debris Conference UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme IMO: International Maritime Organization VCI: Chemical Industry Association KIMO: Kommunenes Internasjonale Miljøorganisasjon WFO: Waste Free Oceans L.O.O.P: Life Out Of Plastic WPC: World Plastics Council PLASTIC POLLUTION & MARINE LITTER: Mapping Existing Global Initiatives & Organizations-Background Document BACKGROUND Introduction Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter are global concerns, which receive growing attention from government, academics, NGOs, industry and the public since it greatly affects the environment, economy safety, and public health. It is believed that local and global environmental and resource efficiency failure lead to the presence of plastic pollution and marine litter around the world. Whereas, the underlying causes of the problem have not yet sufficiently been explored and addressed, such underlying causes can be thought to widely relate with poor waste and resource management practices such as the acts of littering and dumping the waste items, intentionally and unintentionally, absence of suitable collection infrastructure in the low-income countries, and lack of sufficient value of secondary plastics within a resource efficient circular economy. To date, the global activists, experts, policy makers and scientific communities have focused on plastic pollution and marine litter, a complex and multi-dimensional problem, through different approaches. Research efforts have mainly directed on estimating and managing the vast amounts of marine litter in the world oceans, with emphasis around waste plastics items (and engineered primary microplastic beads), and on studying the various transfer mechanisms responsible for directing waste into the oceans. On the other hand, governments and NGOs have been more interested in activating tools and policies, which will prevent waste flowing into the sea. Source reduction increase prevention
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