ACCPP 2025: All Hands on Deck – Uniting Forces for a Sustainable Plastics Future in ASEAN
Kuala Lumpur, 14 October 2025: ERIA hosted theASEAN Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution (ACCPP) 2025 at the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur. The event was co-hosted by Malaysia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) and supported by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP)of the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and the Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS) of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT).
Now in its third edition following successful conferences in Lao PDR (2024) and Indonesia (2023), ACCPP 2025 carried the theme 'All Hands on Deck: Uniting Forces for a Sustainable Plastics Future.’ The one-day event brought altogether 415 participants – both in-person and online –from governments, development partners, the private sector, academia, and civil society, underscoring the urgency of collective regional action to combat plastic pollution.
Opening Session: A Call for Regional Solidarity
Opening remarks were delivered by Mr Oudomsack Philavong, former ACCPP Chair and Director General of the Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Lao PDR. In a recorded message, he called on participants to demonstrate strong commitment and leverage regional frameworks to drive progress, reminding that ‘the journey won’t be easy but it’s achievable’.
Echoing this spirit, Mr Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA, stressed the need for aholistic and cross-sectoral approachto plastic pollution, highlighting that 'shared responsibility across ASEAN is key to ensuring sustainable and inclusive solutions.’ His message was reinforced by Mr Oskar Lecuyer, Economist and Sustainability Specialist at AFD, and Ms Clémence Schmid, Director of GPAP, who underscored the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement and stronger regional co-operation.
Representing the host country, Mr Pubadi Govindasamy, Undersecretary of the Environmental Management Division, NRES, reaffirmed Malaysia’s and ASEAN’s leadership in addressing plastic pollution. He noted that the outcomes of ACCPP 2025 would be reflected in the ASEAN Chair’s Statement, demonstrating the linkage between conference dialogue and regional policymaking.
Expert Discussions: Bridging Knowledge and Action
The conference featured six thematic sessions addressing critical aspects of ASEAN’s fight against plastic pollution:
- Reflections on the ASEAN Regional Action Plan and the Way Forward
- Understanding INC 5.2 Takeaways Through an ASEAN Lens
- Sea-based Marine Plastic Pollution Management
- The National Plastic Action Partnerships in ASEAN
- Launching the Behaviour Lab Partnership in ASEAN
- Private Sector Initiatives on Reuse and Refill
Experts from ERIA’s Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris (RKC-MPD) actively contributed to several sessions.
- Mr Reo Kawamura (Director) delivered keynote remarks in Sessions 5 and 6, reaffirming ERIA’s commitment to advancing behavioural change through evidence-based tools and introducing a new private-sector platform to promote initiatives across the ASEAN+3 region.
- Mr Fusanori Iwasaki (Research Fellow) presented the history and key milestones of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process during Session 2, moderated by Ms Aulia Salsabella Suwarno (Research Associate). Dr Michikazu Kojima (Senior Research Fellow) enriched the panel discussion with insights on international coordination.
- Ms Ayako Mizuno (Programme Manager) participated as a panellist in Session 5, sharing perspectives on public engagement and behavioural design.
Key Messages: Progress and Persistent Gaps
ACCPP 2025 showcased ASEAN’s growing momentum in tackling plastic pollution through innovation, knowledge sharing, capacity-building, and collaboration. Progress includes:
- Strengthened ship-based waste management and discarded fishing gear recycling systems;
- Emerging recycling and monitoring tools to track marine plastics;
- Expanding collaborative platforms and partnerships; and
- The rollout of national policy measures such as plastic bag charges, awareness campaigns, and behavioural change interventions.
Innovative circular economy solutions – such as mobile refill stations, returnable packaging platforms, and deposit-and-return schemes – are also being piloted across the region.
However, participants identified a persistent implementation gap between policy design and on-ground impact. Despite growing awareness, behavioural change remains inconsistent. Limited enforcement, inadequate investment, and the need for harmonised regional standards continue to challenge progress, particularly in local capacity and technical expertise.
The Way Forward: Aligning Frameworks and Actions
Participants agreed that stronger collaboration amongst all stakeholders in the plastics value chain is essential. Governments, private sectors, and communities must work in tandem through a regional systems approach that integrates sectoral priorities and considers cross-border impacts.
They recommended:
- Leveraging existing ASEAN platforms and frameworks for synergy and policy coherence;
- Scaling good practices beyond national borders;
- Expanding technical assistance, capacity building, and information exchange; and
- Developing clear regional standards for labelling, cleaning, reuse, and refill systems to accelerate circularity.
Closing Remarks: From Knowledge to Action
The conference concluded with remarks by H.E. Datuk Dr Ching Thoo A/L Kim, Secretary-General of NRES Malaysia, who urged participants to transform insights into tangible action:
‘The knowledge we gain today is valuable, but its true worth lies in how we translate it into real change.’
He reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to continued collaboration with ASEAN counterparts and partners to advance innovation and implement scalable solutions across the plastics value chain – paving the way for a cleaner and more resilient region.
