Global Partnership For Clean Rivers: Clean Rivers And UNDP Face Plastic Waste In Indonesia

Clean Rivers, entered into partnership with UNDP to reduce plastic pollution in Indonesian rivers. (IST)

JAKARTA - The non-profit from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Clean Rivers, has entered into partnerships with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to reduce plastic pollution in Indonesian rivers. Over the next three years, this collaboration will focus on six main rivers with efforts to remove waste and preventive measures.

This partnership aims to reduce plastic leakage into the sea through collaboration with local stakeholders, such as NGOs, governments, and local communities. In addition, UNDP will strengthen plastic waste management and increase public awareness through educational campaigns. This step is in line with Clean Rivers' mission to encourage community-based collaborative solutions in overcoming plastic pollution and protecting the welfare of the environment and local community.

The rivers that will be the target of this project include the Bekasi River in West Java, Kali Mas and Porong in East Java, Bengawan Solo in Central Java, and Tukad Mati and Tukad Badung in Bali. UNDP will cooperate with local authorities and community initiatives to ensure a waste management system that is in accordance with the conditions and needs of each region.

The signing of this partnership was carried out on the sidelines of the Indonesian Sustainability Forum which took place in Jakarta.

The CEO of Clean Rivers, Deborah Backus, in a written statement received in Jakarta, Sunday, September 8, stated, "We are committed to reducing plastic pollution in the river so that the oceans are cleaner. This project is the first step of many initiatives in Indonesia." He also emphasized the importance of empowering local communities in the success of this project.

Sujala Pant, UNDP Indonesia's Permanent Representative Representative Representative Representative, added, "Indonesia has an ambitious target of reducing marine plastic waste. This partnership is in line with UNDP's Ocean Promise, which focuses on innovative solutions in managing plastic waste in rivers and seas."

This partnership is also supported by a memorandum of understanding signed in April 2024 between the Ministry of Climate Change and the UAE Environment and the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment in Indonesia. As part of the initiative, the UAE has allocated funding up to US$20 million to support Indonesia's efforts to deal with plastic pollution, with additional projects that will soon be announced.