EU-ASEAN Summit To Deliberate On Environmental, Global Plastics Management Issues

By V. Sankara KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 (Bernama) -- The forthcoming ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit to be held in Brussels, Belgium, this December is set to open doors for more engagement in bilateral environmental cooperation between both regions, with key topics such as addressing plastic pollution through the adoption of circular approaches. European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius, who is leading a Circular Economy Action Plan to promote the use of sustainable resources, said the meeting will pave the way for global agreement on plastics and to support the global shift to a circular economy as outlined in the European Union's new Circular Economy Action Plan, among others. He said the global agreement would seek to address plastic pollution throughout the entire plastics lifecycle in order to minimise the mismanagement of plastics and prevent plastic from entering the environment. "In Global Plastics Agreement, the EU position is clear - to curb plastic pollution - and for that, we need waste management across countries which is efficient and we need circular principle to transform plastic waste into empowering income, by creating new jobs and wealth," he told Bernama in an exclusive interview at EU Delegation's office during his working visit here, recently. As outlined in the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan, the EU has emphasised the need for circular, life-cycle approach to plastics as a basis for a new legally binding global agreement. The solution lies in prevention, proper design and production of plastics, and their resource-efficient use, followed by sound management when it becomes waste. Sinkevicius, who was formerly Lithuania’s Economy Minister from to 2017-2019, said to enable the circular economy, it is vital that designers consider circularity aspects in early product design and development to enhance these products’ circularity potential. Commenting on the success story of EU-funded project to restore forests, improve community livelihood and promoting sustainable and low-carbon development in Sabah, he said the project is a perfect example on how environmental protection should go hand in hand with local community needs. "While EU finds it important to protect the environment, it is also important to work together with local communities who are part of the solution," he added. -- BERNAMA