19 August 2015: The Sixth Regional 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) Forum in Asia and the Pacific discussed the linkages between waste management, tourism, water security and sustainable urban management in the region, as well as the economic and employment opportunities posed by 3Rs and resource efficiency.
The Sixth Regional Forum was held from 16-19 August 2015 in Male, Maldives.
The Sixth Regional Forum also assessed progress and challenges in national implementation of the Ha Noi 3R Declaration adopted at the Fourth Regional 3R Forum in 2013. The Declaration outlines goals for waste management in urban, industrial and rural areas to be achieved between 2013-2023, addresses new and emerging wastes and cross-cutting issues, and includes a set of core indicators.
The principal outcome of the Sixth Regional Forum was a Chair’s Summary approved by the plenary. The Summary suggests, among other things: promoting waste minimization and low-carbon development; creating certification and labeling systems to inform consumers of about the sustainability performance of traded goods and services; establishing a regional scientific and community advisory panel; setting up a network of regional innovation centers; phasing out subsidies that conflict with resource efficiency and waste minimization objectives; and developing regional financing mechanisms to support innovative projects based on the 3R principles. The document also recognizes the contribution of the 3Rs to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the post-2015 development agenda.
Appended to the Summary is the Malé 3R Declaration signed by Maldivian officials and 99 local resorts with a series of commitments regarding improved waste management, compsting, recycling, water and energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, reef protection, reduction in plastics use, and reuse and recycling of wastewater. Organizers of the Regional Forum hope that the Declaration will inspire resorts elsewhere in Asia-Pacific to make similar commitments.
The Regional Forum was created in 2008 as a framework for high-level 3R policy dialogue, technical assistance for country projects, and information sharing and networking for the promotion of 3R policies and practice in the region. The Sixth Forum was organized by the UN Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD), Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, and the Maldives’ Ministries of Tourism and Environment and Energy. It was attended by over 300 participants, including government representatives from 33 Asia-Pacific countries. [IISD Coverage of the Sixth Regional Forum] [6th Forum webpage]