Mumbai, India (CU)_ According to the official statement, India, Australia, and Singapore have teamed up for research initiatives aimed at monitoring and analyzing marine pollution, as well as developing realistic long-term solutions to the worldwide marine plastic pollution problem.
Dr M. Ravichandran, India’s Secretary for Earth Sciences, delivered his speech at an online international workshop on addressing marine pollution that focuses on marine plastic debris. The event was organized and hosted by India in coordination with the Australian and Singapore governments. During his speech, he recommended using technological tools such as remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to monitor the distribution of marine plastics and developing a marine plastics management strategy to learn the dynamics of plastics in the Indian Ocean.
According to a statement from the Earth Sciences Ministry, he also underlined that a well-designed and tailored management approach that takes regional distinctiveness into account is the key to reducing plastics in the environment. The program also served as a driving force for East Asia Summit (EAS) countries to research and educate one another about the challenges, questions, and remedies related to marine litter, particularly plastic research, use, design, disposal, recycling, and future partnerships for a plastic-free and healthy ocean for sustainable development through knowledge partners, India’s National Center for Coastal Research (NCCR), Singapore and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).
The event united the world-renowned specialists, scientists, policymakers, and government representatives from industry, innovation, and the informal sectors. The programs included panel conversations and interactive break-out sessions designed to foster conversation among EAS members. The EAS is the major venue for discussion of critical Indo-Pacific strategic problems and a major confidence-building tool. It has been working for regional peace, security, increased regional collaboration, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean area since its establishment in 2005.
According to the statement, “The EAS is uniquely placed to share expertise and lessons learned between regions and subregions faced with interlinked and similar challenges to develop sustainable transboundary solutions. EAS countries recognise the coastal and marine plastic pollution challenge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the agenda of promoting maritime cooperation in the wider Indo-Pacific region at the 14th EAS held in Bangkok in November 2019”.
The workshop featured four key subjects: the scope of the marine litter problem, monitoring programs, and study on plastic debris in the Indo-Pacific region; best practices and technologies, remedies to avoid plastic pollution, and polymers and plastics; technology and innovation; and opportunities for regional coordination to reduce or stop plastic pollution.
