GPAP’s personal tips for fighting plastic pollution, Africa’s big circular economy opportunity, and more
Blog April 30, 2021
APRIL 2021
« Your monthly briefing on plastic waste and pollution impact around the world »
If you only have 5 minutes, read this:
- ONE week left to submit an idea to the UpLink challenge on informal plastic collection: The Indonesia NPAP and the World Economic Forum’s UpLink platform are searching for innovative, scalable solutions that can help boost informal waste collection in Indonesia. The submission deadline has been extended to 9 May. Please help us share this link with your network!
- Virtual Ocean Dialogues slated for 25-27 May: The second annual Virtual Ocean Dialogues have been officially set for late May this year; more information will be announced soon.
- Please help circulate our surveys for Ghanaian and Nigerian stakeholders: We continue to actively seek potential collaborators, advisers and members who can help build out our National Plastic Action Partnerships in Ghana and Nigeria. Please find the survey for Ghana here, and the survey for Nigeria here.
Latest Insights
How the GPAP team is fighting plastic pollution through everyday actions
Want to help stop plastic pollution, but unsure of where to start? Even small everyday actions can make a big impact.
On Earth Day, the GPAP and NPAP teams shared nine of our favorite personal tips and tricks for reducing waste, from wearing an upcycled wedding dress to making moisturizer at home. Watch the short video here!
Submit your ideas to the UpLink Challenge on informal plastic collection innovation
The Indonesia NPAP and the World Economic Forum’s UpLink platform are searching for innovative, scalable solutions that can help boost informal waste collection in Indonesia. Challenge winners will benefit from tailored mentorship, introductions to capital providers, and USD $5,000 in grants.
Please note that the submission deadline has been extended to 9 May to allow for more time to craft submissions. Please help us share this fantastic opportunity with your networks in Indonesia!
Save the date: Virtual Ocean Dialogues set for 25-27 May 2021
Convened by the Friends of Ocean Action platform at the World Economic Forum, the 2021 Virtual Ocean Dialogues will once again bring together the global ocean community to maintain focus and momentum on the road to achieving SDG14+.
More details will be announced soon; watch the @FriendsofOcean channel on Twitter for the latest updates. Highlights from the 2020 Virtual Ocean Dialogues can be found here.
NPAP Viet Nam takes the stage at US Embassy Hanoi event on marine plastic pollution
On 27 April, Viet Nam NPAP Manager Dr. Trinh Thai Ha delivered a talk at the invitation of the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, as part of the event “Supporting Vietnam’s National Action Plan on Marine Debris.”
Watch the livestream playback on Facebook here (Ha’s remarks begin at around 07:06).
GPAP brings a global perspective to COVID-19, plastic pollution and Latin America
On 23 April, Christian Kaufholz, GPAP Head of Affiliated Programs and Knowledge Management, participated in an Inter-American Development Bank webinar on how COVID-19 has impacted plastic pollution challenges and solutions in Latin America and globally.
For more context and data on this pressing topic, take a look at this recent blog post from IDB, “The Plastics Pandemic.”
Spotlight on GPAP at Defra’s Earth Day celebration
On Earth Day, we were pleased to join the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for a virtual celebration hosted by Tamara Finkelstein, Permanent Secretary of Defra. Alongside panellists from Cefas, RSPB and UNEP, GPAP Director Kristin Hughes shared how our platform for plastic action is helping preserve and protect the world’s lands and marine ecosystems.
Five big bets for the circular economy in Africa
With the right enabling environment, the circular economy offers a promising opportunity for economic development, value creation and skills development. And with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing countries across the globe to restructure their economies, Africa is in a strong position to take advantage of these emerging opportunities.
A new report by the World Economic Forum’s Circular Economy Initiative and the African Circular Economy Alliance has identified five key industries that have the potential to benefit tremendously from increased circularity. Read more in this blog post by Al-Hamndou Dorsouma, Acting Director for Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank.
Legislative guide from UNEP, WRI propose four policy pathways to reduce plastic pollution
“If countries want to build back better after COVID-19, legislative reform on curbing plastic waste is an essential part of the agenda,” writes Carole Excell, Director of the Environmental Democracy Practice at the World Resources Institute.
A new report co-authored by WRI and the UN Environment Programme proposes four policy and legal approaches that can help countries reduce plastic waste over the long term. Read it here.
Events on the Horizon
20 May 2021 | Virtual Event
Supporting net zero through a circular economy
Hosted by The New York Times; presented by Morgan Stanley; featuring Dame Ellen MacArthur; register here
24-28 May 2021 | Virtual Conference
RISE Africa 2021 Action Festival
Hosted by ICLEI Africa; register here
25-27 May | Virtual Conference
Virtual Ocean Dialogues 2021
Hosted by Friends of Ocean Action
25 May | Virtual Meeting
NPAP Ghana Steering Board meeting
Hosted by NPAP Ghana
Q2 2021 | Virtual Meeting
First meeting of the Global Financing Task Force
Hosted by GPAP
Q2 2021 | Hybrid Launch
Launch of the Ghana national action roadmap
Hosted by NPAP Ghana
Q2 2021 | Virtual Meeting
Meeting of the GPAP Governing Council
Hosted by GPAP
17-20 August | Conference
Special Annual Meeting 2021 in Singapore
Hosted by the World Economic Forum
Engage with us
We’re always on the lookout for new and inspiring content, news and analysis, and upcoming events to feature in this newsletter. Please write to us at plasticaction@weforum.org to share updates that should be featured in the next edition.
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