UPSI Youth Eco-Innovators Summit 2024: A Resounding Success in Uniting Youth Against Plastic Pollution

Bangkok, 23 January 2024

Global plastic waste generation has doubled in two decades, with a staggering 49% originating from the Asia-Pacific region. This looming crisis demands urgent action, and the youth hold immense potential to drive change.

The recently concluded Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) Youth Eco-Innovators Summit 2024, attended by more than 100 youths, marked a significant milestone in the collective efforts to address the global challenge of plastic pollution. The summit brought together local and international delegates for a transformative two-day event.

The primary goal of the summit was to promote global unity and integration among youth in addressing plastic pollution. Delegates engaged in thoughtful discussions, workshops, and collaborative activities aimed at fostering a sense of shared responsibility for our planet’s future.

The SEA circular Project, spearheaded by UNEP and COBSEA, actively supports youth engagement in combating plastic pollution. At the summit, Ms. Kamala Ernest, Project Coordinator, emphasized the critical role youth can play through:

• Advocacy for sustainable policies
• Skilling up for green industries
• Launching and joining green businesses
• Active participation in anti-plastic pollution strategies 

Teaming up with mentors from Impact Malaysia, participants crafted innovative educational solutions, leveraging technology to promote community unity and tackle the issue of plastic waste pollution. Cash prizes await the top three group ideas and the most outstanding individual innovator. The winning teams will use their received funds to conduct pilot studies of their ideas and present the results at the Sustainable Environment Innovation Competition on June 1, 2024.

The summit also featured insightful talk sessions by distinguished speakers. In conclusion, the UPSI Youth Eco-Innovators Summit 2024 was a resounding success, bringing together passionate youth, fostering innovation, and reinforcing the importance of collaborative action in the fight against plastic pollution. The event stands as a testament to the power of collective efforts in creating a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future. 

About SEA circular project

The SEA circular project – Reducing marine litter by addressing the management of the plastic value chain in Southeast Asia is implemented by the UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), with funding support from the Government of Sweden. SEA circular aims to reduce and prevent plastic pollution and its impact by working with governments, businesses, civil society, academia, and international partners. The initiative promotes market-based solutions and enabling policies to transform plastic value-chain management, strengthens the science base for informed decision making, creates outreach and awareness. The project leverages COBSEA’s regional mechanism to tackle the transboundary challenge of marine litter in a harmonized manner.

Contact Us

Website: www.sea-circular.org
Email: sea-circular@un.org