$70m for waste management
FUNDING for the sustainable management of waste and pollution in the Pacific for the next five years through the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) alone is $70 million.
This was highlighted during a SPREP and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Environment Facility Pacific Alliance for Sustainability (GEF-PAS) Pacific Project meeting in Suva yesterday.
SPREP waste management and pollution control program director Anthony Talouli said many of the countries were present because they would receive support from GEF to address hazardous chemicals and waste.
“In many countries, there’s not much funding for chemicals and hazardous waste,” he said.
“Right now we’re seeing a huge influx of funding support – more than ever before.
“There’s $US20m ($F44,396m) from GEF, there’s $US18m ($F39,956m) from the European Union (EU) – both to address chemicals and hazardous waste, there’s $US16 ($35,516m) from Australia to address plastics, there’s $US18m ($F39,956m) from the Japanese Government to address solid waste, there’s 5 million euro ($F11,525m) from the French Government to address hazardous waste as well – there’s quite a lot of support.”
Mr Talouli said the portfolio for waste and pollution in the Pacific for the next five years through SPREP alone is $70m.
“This is not counting what’s going to countries bilaterally – that’s more than what we have ever had, we have the biggest budget so that’s a reflection of the priority of where countries see waste and pollution, where the region sees it and where its seen internationally.”
He added that the project was important for Fiji.
“Fiji is one of the trading partners for the Pacific – a lot of the products come through Fiji or come to Fiji before it enters into another country.
“So by assisting Fiji to properly look after its hazardous waste we are sort of being an adequate border control for our neighbours – Fiji’s priority on GEF Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in Small Island Developing States (ISLANDS) is around addressing composting and recycling so that’s a major priority not just for waste, but also for economic incentives.”