The 2nd IORA Online Workshop on the “Development of an ‘IORA Declaration on Combatting Marine Debris’ and a Strategic Framework of Action on Marine Debris in the Indian Ocean” was a critical milestone in elevating marine pollution as a priority within IORA's Blue Economy work plan. Held virtually on 08 March 2022, the workshop's primary purpose was to advance a collaborative regional approach to fighting marine litter.
Key objectives included presenting the “zero-draft” of the strategic framework—developed from Member State surveys, and ranking strategic priorities to define the next steps toward a formal declaration.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and implemented by GIZ, with funding support from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection and the Federal Foreign Office. Participation included high-level representation from the IORA Secretariat, led by the Director for Blue Economy and Fisheries Management, alongside technical experts from WWF, CSIRO, Cyclos GmbH, and delegates from IORA Member States.
Key discussions focused on the “plastification” of the ocean, highlighting alarming data on microplastic concentrations and the suffocation of ecosystems like coral reefs. Technical sessions explored Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as a tool for sustainable waste finance and shared national successes, such as the Maldives’ single-use plastic phaseout plan. A central activity involved using interactive polling to rank actions across five pillars: Strategies and Policies, Measures and Actions, Research and Monitoring, Awareness, and Regional Cooperation.
The main outcome was the validation of the zero-draft framework and the establishment of a roadmap leading to a final workshop in Bali. This initiative is centrally relevant to IORA’s Blue Economy cross-cutting issue, contributing to regional cooperation by addressing the transboundary nature of marine litter and fostering a sustainable, waste-free marine environment for the Indian Ocean.
