Strategy session - Building a global picture of marine pollution— an Asia Pacific perspective
Duration: 56mins
Throughout the 20th century, most of the world’s chemical production happened in Europe and North America. In the past two decades, this has rapidly shifted. By some estimates, Asia will account for most of all chemical production as soon as 2025.
Plastic pollution, rightly, has grabbed public attention and generated much-needed action across the region. But chemical waste – from industry, agriculture and sewers – is a growing and potentially catastrophic threat.
What do Asia-Pacific’s governments need to do to close the data gap? What role do industries along the chemical supply chain play? And how can policymakers begin to address the link between ocean pollution and human health?
This panel, moderated by Charlie Goddard, editorial director, Economist Impact, took place at the World Ocean Summit Asia Pacific on November 29th, 2022. Panelists included:
- Dechen Tsering, Regional director, UNEP
- Kenneth Leung, Director and chair professor, state key laboratory of marine pollution, City University of Hong Kong
- Naoko Ishii, Director, Centre for the Global Commons, University of Tokyo
- Kilaparti Ramakrishna, Director, Marine Policy Center and senior advisor to the president on ocean and climate policy, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Chemical pollution – of land, air, rivers, watersheds – has been a festering issue for decades, occasionally prompting resolute action. But only recently has the scale of chemical pollution become more apparent. Read the full report here.
Marine Chemical Pollution
Gateway to the ocean: a call for greater collaboration on marine pollution
Reading time: 8mins
From risk to reward: investments for a circular plastics economy
Reading time: 10mins
Lessons from Minamata: Japan’s chemical past and ambiguous future
Reading time: 8mins
A treaty of true cost: recalibrating the economics of the plastics industry
Reading time: 10mins
Where does marine chemical pollution come from?
Reading time: 1.5mins
Which chemicals are polluting our ocean?
Reading time: 1.5mins
Bankers of the world, unite (to end marine pollution)
Reading time: 3.5mins
A long and winding road: chemicals and the plastics value chain
Reading time: 10mins
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Back to Blue is an initiative of Economist Impact and The Nippon Foundation, two organisations that share a common understanding of the need to improve evidence-based approaches and solutions to the pressing issues faced by the ocean, and to restoring ocean health and promoting sustainability