Strengthening Sustainable Production and Consumption: Capacity Building for Plastics and Beyond in Asia

Strengthening Sustainable Production and Consumption: Capacity Building for Plastics and Beyond in Asia

Date: 4-7 November 2025

Venue: Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC), Osaka, Japan

• It is essential to deal with the unsustainable patterns of plastic consumption and production, which are characterized by the ever-increasing volume of plastic production, a heavy reliance on single-use products, and the widespread use of polymers that are difficult to recycle. These issues are further exacerbated by poor product design that hinders reuse and recycling, entrenched consumption habits favoring convenience, and the absence of infrastructure and systems for collection and sorting, which is linked to a lack of stakeholder’s roles and engagements.
• Addressing this crisis requires a systemic approach that targets every stage of material use across the value chain. This involves improving product design to keep materials circulating within the economy, expanding refill and reuse systems, and eliminating unnecessary single-use and short-lived plastics.
• Effectively addressing plastic pollution requires recognizing the critical importance of integrating measures across the entire plastic lifecycle, from eco-design to recycling, in alignment with sustainable production and consumption practices to reduce waste generation at the source. Together, coordinated actions across the plastic value chain are essential to achieving zero leakage into the environment and advancing the goal of zero plastic pollution.
• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), with support from the Government of Japan (GoJ), has made extensive efforts to promote sustainable production and consumption, tailoring its approaches to the specific needs of each country. Currently, the project “Emergent Plastic Pollution Reduction and Management for Recovery from the Livelihoods and Health Crisis” aims to improve plastic packaging sustainability in Thailand by promoting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme and Eco-design potential for high-quality post-consumer-recycled material development, developing systems for reusable, refillable, and returnable packaging. Objective
• This training workshop aims to promote sustainable production and consumption of key materials, particularly plastics, in Asian countries. It facilitates capacity-building through knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer learning, and awareness-raising activities, with a focus on material use across the value chain. The training workshop also supports the development of regulatory frameworks for a circular economy and identifies effective actions by governments, industry, and civil society to reduce pollution at national and local levels. While the training workshop primarily focuses on plastic pollution, it also addresses broader sustainable production and consumption practices in line with circular economic principles.
• Capacity-building activities will engage government representatives, private sector experts, industry associations, academia, and other stakeholders in Japan.

Participants

Government officials who are in charge of Sustainable Production and Consumption, especially from the implementing country of the 'Emergent Plastic Pollution Reduction and Management for Recovery from the Livelihoods and Health Crisis' project.

Modality 

• The programme includes four days of in-person meetings, seminars and a field visit in Osaka, Japan.
• Participants will learn from Japan’s best practices and engage in peer-to-peer discussions to share experiences and insights, ensuring mutual learning. 

Sessions

• Sessions related to "Emergent Plastic Pollution and Management for Recovery from the Livelihoods and Health Crisis" project and other UNEP activities (4^th, 5^th, 6^th Afternoon)
• Special Sessions by Osaka City and Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC) (6^th Morning) and Field Visit (7^th): DINS Kansai