Regional : Promoting Action on Plastic Pollution from Source to Sea in Asia and the Pacific - Enhancing Knowledge and Creating Enabling Environments for Reducing Marine Plastic Pollution (Subproject 1)

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban solid waste management

Marine plastic pollution reduced; Health of rivers, coasts and marine ecosystems restored.

DMC action to address marine plastic pollution enhanced.

Action plans and policies to address marine plastic pollution supported

Plastic pollution reduction investments supported.

Knowledge, regional cooperation and financing for marine plastic pollution solutions improved

On Output 1: Action plans and policies to address marine plastic pollution supported

(1.1) Consultations with the participating countries and cities (plus partners, communities, private sector) were conducted and identified focused activities for TA support for city action plans.

(1.2) Ongoing continuous consultations with national city governments and key partners of Indonesia (Cirebon City), Philippines (Manila City), Thailand and Viet Nam (Tan An City).

(1.3) Ongoing consultations with countries for policy and regulatory reform support, including on national policy and legislation for circular plastics economy and bioplastics in Thailand and the national action plan for circular economy in Viet Nam.

(1.4) Currently being implemented institutional strengthening program on environmental monitoring and assessment of future maritime disasters in Sri Lanka.

On Output 2: Plastic pollution reduction investments supported

(2.1) Nine investment projects plus TAs supported with specialist inputs on solid waste management, circular plastics economy and ocean finance, as follows: 53079-001 Guangxi-Guilin Comprehensive Ecological Rehabilitation (inputs to TOR for solid waste management component of project); 51116-002 PRC: Yangtze River Green Ecological Corridor Comprehensive Agriculture Development Project (technical inputs for GEF proposal); 51036-002 Pakistan: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project (peer review of solid waste management consultant deliverables); Regional Indorama Blue Loan for Circular Economy (preparation of loan document sector overview and inputs to design of DMF); Bank of Qingdao Blue Finance Project (inputs to blue bond framework and structure); Jiangxi Ecological Demonstration Program; Guangxi-Guilin Comprehensive Ecological Rehabilitation; Sustainable Tourism Development Project; plus TA 6617 PRC: Green Circular Economy Zero Waste Cities concept paper and Yangtze River Basin Eco Compensation Mechanism (inputs on concept paper).

(2.2) Specialist advice to Central West Asia, South and Southeast Asia departments on medical waste management

(2.3) Review CPSs/COBPs and relevant ADB country operations for alignment/collaboration

(2.4) Review of ADB pipeline to identify opportunities and outreach/consultations with operations departments

(2.5) Continue to provide specialist inputs for investment projects

Output 3: Knowledge, regional cooperation and financing for marine plastic pollution solutions improved

(3.1) GEF concept for Indonesia Plastik Sulit project ($7.1 million) approved

(3.2) Blue Finance Explainer for Development Asia published

(3.3) Indonesia Finance Task Force co-chaired by ADB and Ministry of Finance launched

(3.4) Myanmar Donor's Coordination Roundtable convened

(3.5) Oceans Finance Initiative Strategy developed

(3.6) Conducted Blue Finance Training: Designing and Financing Bankable Projects in Transitioning to a Blue Economy

(3.7) TA Consultation Plan and Partners Database developed and implemented

(3.8) TA Knowledge Management Action Plan developed

(3.9) Consultation with international NGOs and regional coordination bodies, and COBSEA identified as regional knowledge partner

(3.10) GEF CEO Endorsement Request for $2 million regional medium-sized project: Promoting Resource Efficiency and Circularity to Reduce Plastic Pollution for Asia and the Pacific approved

(3.11) First ADB Blue Bond Issuance of $302 million, under expanded Green and Blue Bond Framework

(3.12) ADB Ocean Finance Framework launched

(3.13) ADB training-Five-part Circular economy sprint series entitled Closing the Circle: Reducing Plastic Pollution and Promoting Green Businesses from September to November 2021

(3.14) ADB Healthy Oceans Technology and Finance Forum held Q1 2022

(3.15) Regional TA inception workshops held Q1 2022 and Q1 2023

(3.16) Supported development of an ADB MOU with Denmark State of Green which includes circular economy as a key theme, and planned knowledge sharing activities on plastics and the private sector

(3.17) Organized UN Ocean Conference 2022 side events Financing the Blue Economy in Asia and the Pacific, Atolls Blueprint Dialogue and Pacific Reception

(3.18) Participation in 19th PACER Dialogue: Transitioning from a linear to a circular economy in post pandemic Southeast Asia

(3.19) Oceans Partnership/Finance Facility development

(3.20) Conducted Thailand Bioplastics Stakeholder Engagement Workshop held April 2023 in Bangkok

(3.21) Support on Healthy Oceans Technology Innovation Challenges

(3.22) Knowledge sharing on priority themes for marine plastics pollution reduction and circular plastics economy