Abu Dhabi, UAE - 25 April 2024: Clean Rivers, a global non-profit committed to tackling the challenge of riverine plastic pollution, announces its role as the official implementation partner of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE and Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs of Indonesia.
The landmark agreement will establish a framework for collaboration between the UAE and Indonesia on tackling the urgent environmental challenge of plastic waste leaking into the ocean around Indonesia. An estimated 1-2 million tons of plastic waste enters the world’s oceans every year, presenting major health and environmental threats to communities and ecosystems.
The landmark agreement will establish a framework for collaboration between the UAE and Indonesia on tackling the urgent environmental challenge of plastic waste leaking into the ocean around Indonesia.
The UAE and Indonesia will cooperate on a number of vital areas, including capacity building and increasing stakeholder awareness, and the design and delivery of economically sustainable circular waste systems. The MoU will also facilitate the productive exchange of information and best practices focusing on reducing the influx of plastic pollution into the ocean and expediting river cleanups in Indonesia.
This significant moment also signals the launch of Clean Rivers’ work to deliver transformative programmes which tackle plastic pollution in Indonesia. By acting as the catalyst for the creation of circular economies, Clean Rivers will help to manage plastic waste, drive behavioural change and kindle local innovation. To achieve this, Clean Rivers today commits up to $20 million to initiatives in Indonesia that will prevent 30,000 tons of plastic waste from entering the ocean every year.
Signing the MoU, His Excellency Mohammed Saeed Sultan Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE said: “I am proud of the collaborative spirit the UAE and Indonesia show in overcoming this huge challenge. Our two great countries have already made fantastic progress in deploying nature-based solutions to combat climate change. I look forward to seeing positive results from this important initiative.” And speaking of the implementing partner, His Excellency said: “I want to thank Clean Rivers for their vital work that underpins this MoU”.
Her Excellency Nani Hendiarti, Deputy Coordinating Minister for Forestry and Environmental Management, Indonesia also praised the collaborative agreement, saying: “The support from the UAE has been instrumental in amplifying our initiatives, and we are confident that this partnership will further escalate our collective impact”.
Welcoming the MoU signing and launch of Clean Rivers, Butti Almheiri, Clean Rivers Board Member, said: “I am proud to announce the official launch of Clean Rivers and the MoU embodies our commitment to reduce plastic waste and achieve cleaner oceans. As the implementing partner of this landmark agreement, Clean Rivers will deliver a truly transformative program to tackle riverine plastic pollution in Indonesia. I want to express my gratitude to both the Governments of the UAE and Indonesia for their support as we advance Clean Rivers’ global mission to empower riverine communities and innovate toward a cleaner world.”
Clean Rivers will work in partnership with governments, local communities and private enterprise to drive comprehensive solutions to both the long-and-short-term impacts of plastic pollution in rivers. This work will be undertaken with the specific objective of supporting the socioeconomic development of communities that live alongside some of the world’s most polluted waterways, such as in Indonesia.
UAE and Indonesia sign MoU to reduce plastic waste leakage to the ocean in Indonesia
