Capacity Building of ASEAN TV Broadcasters through Documentary Programme Production on Marine Plastic Waste in ASEAN

Marine plastic waste has become a global issue. Given the nature of transboundary threats, international cooperation is required to tackle this issue. Around 80 per cent of marine pollution is caused by human activities in land¹ which, if not addressed in a timely manner, has not only a global ecological impact but also social and economic impacts. Considering the urgency to cope with this challenge, conserving and ensuring sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources was adopted by the international community as the Sustainable Development Goal 14 and must be achieved by all countries in the world.

At regional level, ASEAN Member States (AMSs) recognised the urgent need to take action and developed ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris which was issued during the 34th   ASEAN Summit in 2019. In 2020, during the 23rd ASEAN-Japan Summit, both parties also agreed to further cooperate on maritime security and marine plastic debris, among others areas of cooperation under the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo Pacific (AOIP) scheme. It is against this backdrop that Capacity Building of ASEAN TV Broadcasters through Documentary Program Production on Marine Plastic Waste in ASEAN project is initiated. The documentary TV programme will introduce the current situation of marine plastic waste in ASEAN countries hoping to foster awareness of the problem among its people, and seek cooperation in measures to reduce it.