Webinar series - Marine litter: legal tools to address the crisis

Webinar #8: Marine Litter, Plastic Pollution and Environmental Justice

Date: December 15, 2021.

Time: 10:00 h Panama (GMT-5)

Language: English and Spanish (see tab on Translation service for more details)

To watch the session, click here.

According to the last UNEP global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution, without urgent action, the estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic currently entering the ocean annually will triple in the next twenty years. Considering this and other issues affecting the marine ecosystems, this session addressed the impact of marine litter and microplastic pollution from an environmental justice perspective through a dialogue with judges and experts from the region.

The session brought to the table the relationship between human rights and the environment, the procedural and substantive obligations relating to the environment, and good practices in procedural and substantive environmental protection.

Speakers

• Opening remarks: Patricia Kameri-Mbote, Director of the Law Division, UNEP.
• Presentation of the report: “Neglected: Environmental Justice Impacts of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution”: Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Executive Director of the environmental justice organization AZUL.

Moderator: Angela Kariuki, Law Division, UNEP.

Human rights and healthy environment: panel discussion

• David R. Boyd, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment.
• Hon. Magistrate Elvia Barrios Alvarado, President of the Judicial Branch and Supreme Court of Peru, Peru.
• Hon. Mr. Winston Charles Anderson, Minister of Justice of The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) specialized in Environmental Law, Jamaica.
• Nestor Cafferatta, Professor and subdirector of the specialization program in environmental law at the School of Law of the National University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Moderator: Andrea Brusco, Regional Coordinator of Environmental Governance, UNEP Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Closing remarks:

• Jordi Pon, UNEP Chemicals, Waste and Air Quality Regional Coordinator, Regional Office for Latin America and Caribbean Office
• Andrea Brusco, UNEP Regional Coordinator of Environmental Governance, Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

Webinar #7: Rethinking the governance of coastal and marine resources in Latin America and the Caribbean

Date: November 30, 2021.

Time: 10:00 h Panama (GMT-5)

Language: English and Spanish (see tab on Translation service for more details)

The relationship between land and coastal activities requires a better understanding of their interconnections in order to develop governance models that respond to the region's challenges.

Through the seventh webinar in the series we aim to rethink coastal marine governance. This will include the presentation of two international reports on policy options to eliminate plastic marine litter, and the evidence base demonstrating the need for better coordination of governance between land-based activities and marine resources. At the same time, we will have the opportunity to listen to a regional perspective on the matter.

Speakers: 

• Steve Fletcher, Professor, School of Science and Health, School of Environment, Geography and Geosciences, School of Business and Law, Centre for Blue Governance at the University of Portsmouth, UK.
• Porfirio Alvarez-Torres, Executive Secretary of the Consortium of Marine Research Institutions of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean

Moderator: 

• Andrea Brusco, Regional Coordinator of Environmental Governance, UNEP Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Ainhoa Carpintero Rogero, Associate Programme Management Officer, International Resource Panel Secretariat, Economy Division, UNEP.

Relevant documents:

• Report: Governing Coastal Resources: Implications for a Sustainable Blue Economy.
• Video of the report: Governing coastal resources: Implications for a sustainable blue economy
• Report: Policy Options to Eliminate Additional Marine Plastic Litter by 2050 under the G20 Osaka Blue Ocean Vision.

To watch the session, click here.

 

Webinar #6: Marine litter in the Caribbean: good regulatory practices

Date and time: October 21, 12:00 h (GMT-5).

Language: English.

70-85 per cent of marine litter in the Caribbean Sea comes from land-based sources of solid waste. In recent years, in order to effectively address the issue of marine litter, many countries in the region have banned, or are considering bans on, single-use plastics, including plastic bags and/or styrofoam.

Antigua and Barbuda was a pioneer in the Caribbean and Latin America region in taking regulatory measures to combat marine litter by banning the use of plastic bags in 2016.  The momentum continues and more than 18 territories have already definitively banned single-use plastic and/or styrofoam products in the Caribbean.

The main objective of this session is to contribute opening the dialogue in the region with information and panel discussions on the need to establish regulations to prevent and reduce marine litter, including the Model Law for the Prevention and Reduction of Marine Litter approved by the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino). This session will introduce challenges, approaches and progresses at the national level, presenting work experiences in countries in the region.

Speakers:

• Vincent Sweeney, Head, UNEP Caribbean Sub Regional Office.
• Andrea Brusco, Regional Governance Coordinator, UNEP Regional Office.
• Kate Wilson, Legal Officer, Department of Sustainable Development, Ministry of Education, Innovations, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development, Saint Lucia.
• Kashta Graham, Manager, Projects Branch, National Environment and Planning Agency Jamaica (NEPA).
• Indira James-Henry, Environmental Implementation Coordinator, Ministry of Health and Environment, Antigua and Barbuda.

Moderator: Lorna Iniss Coordinator, UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat.

To watch the session, click here.

 

Webinar #5: Marine Litter and plastic pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean: working towards a common goal

Date: 15 de octubre de 2021, 11:00 am (GMT-5)

Language: English and Spanish.

Efforts are being made in the international community to build a global agreement to tackle marine litter and plastic pollution, a framework that would allow coordinated actions to address the threats posed by marine litter to the seas and oceans, the biodiversity, the coastal communities and the global economy.

The fifth webinar of this series aims to be an informative platform to facilitate the dialogue across the region with information on the regional and international initiatives, and a high-level discussion on this relevant matter to address the entire lifecycle of plastics, from production to disposal. In addition, the meeting will promote discussions to contribute to the second part of the fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2).

Speakers:

Opening remarks:

• Jacqueline Alvarez, Regional Director and Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
• Mariano Castro, Vice Minister of Environmental Management of the Ministry of Environment of Peru.

Human rights and plastics:

• Marcos Orellana, Special Rapporteur on Toxic Substances and Human Rights.

High-level round table:

• Molwyn Joseph, Minister of Health, Wellness & The Environment.
• Walter Schuldt, Director of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador.
• Felipe Rodrigo Cortes Labra, Professional of International Affairs, Ministry of Environment of Chile.
• Milagros Verástegui, General Director of Environmental Quality, Ministry of the Environment of Peru.

 Multistakeholder’s dialogue

Moderator: Andrea Brusco, Regional Coordinator of Environmental Governance, Regional Office UNEP

• Lorena Terrazas, Civil Society Regional Facilitator.
• Atilio Savino, ISWA Regional Chapter.
• Vania Olmos, Representative of the Major Group of Children and Youth.

Closing remarks.

To watch the session, click here.

 

Webinar #4: Marine litter in national law and regulations. The cases of Brazil, Colombia and México.

Date: September 21, 2021, 11:00 am (GMT-5)

Language: Spanish

This session addresses the challenges, approaches, and the progress in the fight against marine pollution at the national level. Work experiences in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico were presented.

Speakers:

• Andrea Brusco, Regional Coordinator of Environmental Governance, UNEP Regional Office in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Marcelo Cousillas, Legal Advisory Director at the Uruguayan Ministry of the Environment, and member of the Steering Committee of the Montevideo Program for the Development and Periodic Examination of Environmental Law.
• Dolores Barrientos, UNEP Director in Mexico and focal point for Guatemala.
• Abi Marquez Silva, Governance and Climate Change coordinator at UNEP Office in Mexico.
• Anny Paola Zamora Bornachera, Head of global change and marine policy at the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research (INVEMAR) of Colombia.
• Vitor Pinheiro, Campaigns Consultant at UNEP Office in Brazil.
• Juan Bello, Head of UNEP’s Project Office in Colombia, and focal point for Bolivia, Ecuador and Perú. Senior Regional Advisor of the Regional Subprogram of Healthy Ecosystems at the UNEP Office in Latin America and the Caribbean.

To watch the session, click here.

 

Webinar # 3: Addressing Marine litter in the Caribbean: impacts at global and regional level

This webinar will introduce the topic of marine litter and its causes and impacts among the Caribbean Sea and will feature two panels in a total of 2 hours.

Speakers

• Andrea Brusco, Regional Coordinator of Environmental Governance, UNEP Regional Office.
• Vincent Sweeney, Head of Office, UNEP Caribbean Sub Regional Office.
• Christopher Corbin, Programme Officer, Pollution and Communications Sub-Programmes, Cartagena Convention Secretariat, UNEP.
• Tamoy Singh Consultant at UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat.
• Ronald Roach, Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association.
• Mona Webber, Professor of Marine Biology, Director, Centre for Marine Sciences and Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory, Chair in Environmental Management, The University of the West Indies.
• Maria Alejandra Fernandez Garcia and Maria Candela Zaffiro Tacchetti, Consultants at UNEP Regional Office.

To watch the session, click here.

 

Webinar #2: Model Law for the Prevention and Reduction of Marine Pollution

This webinar will present good regulatory practices expressed in the Model Law for the Prevention and Reduction of Marine Pollution, a legal tool produced in the context of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO), with the support of UNEP Environmental Governance subprogram and Congressman Edison Broce of the National Assembly of Panama.

The model law offers a coherent regulatory framework that guarantees the health of marine ecosystems by addressing the different sources of pollution both at land and sea in a single legal body that serves as an inspiration for the countries of the region.

In this event, the actors who drafted the model law will share their experiences and the audience will be able to take part in the conversation.

Speakers:

• Andrea Brusco, Regional Coordinator of Environmental Governance, UNEP Regional Office.
• Jordi Pon, Regional Coordinator of Chemical and Waste, UNEP Regional Office.
• María Candela Zaffiro Tacchetti, consultant to the UNEP Regional Office.
• Senator Jorge Pizarro, President of the PARLATINO.
• Senator Alejandro Sánchez, President of the PARLATINO Agriculture Commission (to be confirmed).
• Deputy Julio Longo, President of the PARLATINO Environment Commission.
• Deputy Edison Broce, National Assembly of Panama.
• Elías Castillo, Executive Secretary and former president of the PARLATINO.

To watch the session, click here.

 

Webinar # 1: Addressing marine litter: global and regional impacts

Date: August 12, 2021, 11:00 am (GMT-5)

Language: Spanish

Through this webinar, UNEP experts will share information and raise awareness amongst governments, civil society and NGOs about the challenge of marine litter in the region. The event includes two panels and a Q&A section.

In the first panel, key actors will share their views on the causes and consequences of marine pollution in the region.

In the second panel, UNEP will present the report “Policies, regulations and strategies to prevent marine debris and plastic waste in Latin America and the Caribbean”, which will provide Member States and decision-makers with an overview of regional, national and local efforts. Also, the regulatory case of Mexico will be analyzed and a space for questions will be opened.

Speakers:

• Carlos Silva, president of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA).
• Andrea Brusco, Regional Coordinator of Environmental Governance, UNEP, Regional Office.
• Jordi Pon, Regional Coordinator of Chemicals and Waste, UNEP, Regional Office.
• Maria Alejandra Fernández García and Maria Candela Zaffiro Tacchetti, consultants at the UNEP Regional Office.
• Lorena Terrazas, internationalist, ONG Red Pazinde, Bolivia.
• Abi Márquez Silva, Governance and Climate Change Coordinator, UNEP Office in Mexico.

To watch the session, click here.

If you wish to hear the interpretation audio please download the application INTERACTIO from Apple Store or Google Play into your smartphone or go to app.interactio.io on your smartphone browser (*it is recommended to use the application).

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More information: Here you will find a short video and a guide on how to connect to the Interactio app.