The five member states of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) - Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, and Seychelles – have committed to promote a circular economy for plastics and reduce marine pollution caused by plastics. According to the World Bank, up to 15 million tons of plastic makes its way to the Indian Ocean each year, making it the world’s second most polluted ocean after the North Pacific.
Ministers of the five island states met between September 18 and 21 in Port-Louis, Mauritius, with the goal to encourage governments to take concrete actions at local and regional levels. During the closing ceremony, the ministers adopted ‘The Declaration of the Ministers and High representatives of the Island States of Africa and the Indian Ocean for the development of the Circular Economy’.
The declaration focusses on the implementation of regional action plans for prevention, reduction, and control of marine and plastic pollution; promotion of circular value chains through recovery of pneumatic, electrical, electronic, and plastic waste; education and awareness about the circular economy; and mobilising funding and partnerships for the promotion of a sustainable blue economy.
In his address, the Mauritius Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Kavydass Ramano, highlighted that the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration will speed up efforts and the collective commitment of the member states to work towards a common vision and regional cooperation for the promotion of a circular economy. “The transition to a circular and resilient economy is no longer a choice, but a necessity, given our vulnerability as a Small Island Developing State”, he stated.
The conference comes just months after Mauritius published its roadmap and action plan for a circular economy in July, where it set a target to increase its recycling rate of plastic packaging from the current 3% to 50% by 2033.
Minister Ramano expressed hope that Mauritius will be able to achieve its set objectives with the support of the regional partnership through the IOC despite major challenges, like lack of funding. He urged the the IOC to support the mobilisation of funding from relevant bodies and cooperation agreements with other regional and international organisations.