The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have expressed its determination to fight against plastic pollution in the ocean, as 10 leaders from the region adopted a joint declaration during the 34th Asean summit in Bangkok.
The Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN Region was adopted by leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes four of the world’s top polluters.
Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand –all ASEAN members — along with China throw the most plastic waste into oceans, according to a 2015 report co-authored by environmental campaigner Ocean Conservancy.
Other signatories are Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of Singapore and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.
The countries made the declaration to emphasize the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, particularly the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint 2025 on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Biodiversity and Natural Resources which reaffirmed the commitment of strategic measures to “promote cooperation for the protection, restoration and sustainable use of coastal and marine environment, respond and deal with the risk of pollution and threats to marine ecosystem and coastal environment, in particular in respect of ecologically sensitive areas,” the declaration document revealed.
“All countries…value and emphasize environmental protection and support Thailand in including the agenda on safeguarding of the environment and combating marine debris, which matches a global agenda,” deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak told reporters on Saturday.
The declaration was commended by environmentalists as a good first step for the region, though doubts remained that implementation will be a challenge because the group has a code of non-interference that would leave necessary policymaking in the hands of individual member countries.
Earlier, ASEAN Ministers responsible for CITES and Wildlife Enforcement had vowed to increase their efforts in combatting illegal wildlife trade in the region at their meeting held from 21-22 March 2019 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
At the meeting chaired by General Surasak Karnjanarat, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Kingdom of Thailand, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal.15 Targets 15.7, to “take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products”.
