Region

Blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, salt marshes, and sea grasses, are important sinks for carbon, nutrient, and various pollutants and thus help mitigate climate change and environment pollution. These ecosystems are rich in biodiversity and resources and provide socioeconomic security to coastal communities. The APEC region contains over half of the world’s blue carbon ecosystems, and it also faces the highest loss of these ecosystems and their associated flora and fauna (UNEP, 2023: https://www.unep.org/interactives/why-blue-ecosystems-matter/). Marine debris is directly linked to the deterioration of blue carbon ecosystems. This problem has led to billions of dollars of economic loss in APEC and the world (APEC, 2022: https://www.apec.org/press/blogs/2022/marine-debris-is-a-challenge-beyond-just- prevention; McIlgorm et al., 2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 174, 113167).

The aim of this project is to address the problems arising from marine debris in blue carbon ecosystems, specifically by sharing relevant knowledge and experiences and the best practices for marine debris management. These will include efficient methods, techniques, and policies for reducing marine debris pollution, such as cleanup and reuse strategies. Considering that the APEC region accounts for some of the world’s largest, most diverse blue carbon ecosystems, and marine debris is a persistent problem in these ecosystems, the proposed project will lead to sustained benefits for multiple economies. Reduced marine debris pollution will result in the improved health of environments and ecosystems, which will, in turn, lead to increased biodiversity and resources and the overall resilience of the ecosystems. This will ultimately lead to increased resources, revenue, and coastal protection from climate change and extreme weather conditions.

A workshop will be conducted to strengthen the problem-solving capacities of stakeholders, NGOs, academicians, and, most importantly, local communities in blue carbon ecosystems to tackle the problem regarding marine debris pollution. This will involve (i) identifying the challenges affecting current efforts to reduce marine debris, (ii) sharing the best management practices and technical strategies for cleaning up, reducing, and reusing marine debris, and (iii) increase cooperation among the APEC economies to tackle marine debris pollution in the region.

Eligibility and Fund Priorities

The proposed project is in alignment with the APEC Support Fund: Marine Debris Management and Innovation (MDMI)’s aims—that is, “to provide support to advance APEC’s objectives of reducing marine debris to promote sustainable economic development” and “support initiatives related to improving management of land and sea based sources of marine debris and promoting development of technical and financial innovations to prevent and reduce marine debris.” To this end, government members, policymakers, and experts from APEC economies will be involved in maintaining the health, resilience, and sustainability of coastal blue carbon ecosystems through efficient management and technical strategies for cleaning up, reducing, and reusing marine debris.

Increasing the knowledge and expertise available to the APEC economies, and thus their capacity to tackle marine debris pollution in blue carbon ecosystems, will contribute to the long-term implementation of the APEC Roadmap on Marine Debris Management by “promoting sharing of best practices and lessons learned and enhancing cooperation” via policy development and coordination, capacity building, and research and innovation. It will also contribute to the Ocean and Fisheries Working Group’s (OFWG) commitment to “promote the protection and conservation of the marine environment, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, and responsible management of marine ecosystem resources in the APEC region to ensure long-term economic benefits” and “enhance cross-fora collaboration to support the mainstreaming of ocean-related issues in APEC.”

Capacity Building

The proposed project is in alignment with APEC’s goal of improving economic and social well-being, as it will help increase the resilience and sustainability of the region’s blue carbon ecosystems through improved marine debris management. Blue carbon ecosystems support fisheries, and increasing their resilience may help sustain jobs and increase the revenues of the coastal communities. Furthermore, the project will promote the involvement of government members, policymakers, and experts in enhancing the protection and sustainability of the coastal blue carbon ecosystems; it thus supports APEC’s goal of deepening the spirit of community and building the capacity of member economies to tackle marine debris pollution problem. The project will benefit many economies, as the APEC region consists of the most expansive blue carbon ecosystems in the world, and marine debris is a persistent problem in these ecosystems.

Capacity gap analysis research will be carried out before the workshop to generate information on the (i) current situation and efforts to reduce marine debris pollution in the APEC blue carbon ecosystems, (ii) problems affecting the efforts to reduce marine debris, and (iii) best practices and successful approaches to cleaning up, reducing, and reusing marine debris. The analysis report will be discussed during the subsequent workshop. It will then be submitted to the APEC Secretariat for approval, published on the APEC website, and disseminated to the OFWG and all participants.

Upon completion of the workshop, a project summary report will be prepared. This will cover the overall execution of the workshop, the key challenges, and recommendations based on best practices for management and technical strategies for cleaning up, reducing, and reusing marine debris. This report will also be submitted to the APEC Secretariat for approval, followed by publication on the APEC website and dissemination to the OFWG and all participants.

The workshop, the capacity gap analysis research report, and the project summary report will collectively contribute to increased awareness and knowledge among government members, policymakers, academicians, and local stakeholders regarding marine debris pollution in blue carbon ecosystems in the APEC region. This will, in turn, facilitate problem-solving approaches that make use of the best management practices and technical strategies for cleaning up, reducing, and reusing marine debris. Furthermore, the project will support the OFWG’s commitments and the APEC Roadmap on Marine Debris Management.