APEC is increasingly focusing on addressing marine debris, and the organization is an important venue to promote international collaboration on the topic in the key Asia-Pacific region. During the meeting, MDP staff provided a presentation on APEC’s Roadmap on Marine Debris Implementation Plan, for which it led the development and negotiations earlier in 2020. This Plan will guide APEC’s work on the issue in the coming years through promoting policy development, capacity building, research and innovation, and financing and private sector engagement. This effort supports DOC Strategic Goal 2, “Enhance Job Creation,” by mitigating and preventing the negative impacts of marine debris on marine and coastal ecosystems that are important to recreation, tourism, and commercial industries.

For more information, please contact Steve.Morrison@noaa.gov.

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