“For me, I am finding this study tour quite informative and learned a lot from the presentations by SA, NZ, Queensland, and the presenters from Palau and Kiribati.

Largely for us in PNG we have linear waste management systems as there are no recycling options available in-country and attending the Circular Economy Conference as part of this study tour, I am learning what initiatives on circular economy and processes we can adopt in our country, especially Container Deposit Systems.

Our efforts will be focused but we will start at a small scale and work our way through the 21-step pathway for sustainable financing.

Our option now is to come up with the Legislative framework to capture these ARDF systems/processes and then start at a smaller scale.

I am hoping to link up with some industries and businesses that have taken the circulatory approach to waste and see if we can absorb as much as possible and share this information with colleagues.

As always, it is better to take that first step which is the hardest part”

Mr John Navara
Manager Waste Management
National Capital District Commission
Papua New Guinea

“There were a number of informative sessions at the ENVIRO Circular Economy conference that helped me better understand the best practices towards a circular economy and how it can be applied in our Pacific situation. The discussions made me realise that while it may be challenging initially it is a solution that we need to work towards if we are to really make a difference in the way we manage waste.
Kiribati is yet to fully understand the processes and practices behind a circular economy. But with the knowledge gained from this conference and study tour, I commit to starting the conversation with my colleagues back home on a sustainable solution to our waste management challenges.

We need to start thinking of embedding circularity in supply chains and operations, implementing targeted and meaningful education and awareness actions, regenerating our natural systems, and sustainability-driven value creation.
I also strongly believe that engagement and coordination between public sector, private sector, NGOs, and communities need to happen with a firm commitment to implementing circular economy initiatives that would help accomplish the bigger zero-waste picture.

It is very important that there is a sense of ownership among the key stakeholders on circular economy initiatives as this will be a key factor that will drive the change from the linear economy of taking, making, and wasting”

Ms Teniti Aro Taam
Solid Waste Management Officer
Environment & Conversation Division
Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agriculture
Kiribati

“My takeaway message from the ENVIRO conference, which we were able to attend as part of this study tour, was that the circular economy is a holistic and inclusive approach that involves different aspects from policy to designs, prevention, waste minimisation, and resource recovery.

Upon my return to the Solomon Islands, a circular economy initiative that I would like to champion is moving through the steps of introducing a sustainable financing system for waste management in the Solomon Islands.

I think it’s important that the public sector, private sector industries, and communities coordinate and work together on Circular Economy initiatives, so they are effective. Some ways these can be done is through consultations and discussions to agree on certain actions on circular economy initiatives, promoting waste minimisation through refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle which is the basis for action-based solutions, through data and information sharing that would provide the basis for good policy and legislative framework for sustainable financing of waste management and including all stakeholders in the process stages.

It was great learning that the circular economy includes circularity in the built environment, infrastructure design, clothing, and fashion economy. These are advanced pathways that we in the Pacific Islands may not think of now but may need to consider in our future circular economy strategies”

Debra Kereseka
Chief Executive Officer
Environment and Conservation Division
Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology

On the second day of the Sustainable Financing for Waste Management Study Tour, participants joined the Enviro Conference 2022. The 2-day event is aimed at exploring the circular economy and the role that industry, government and communities can play to ensure sound waste management.

Let’s start by understanding what the circular economy is.

In our current economy, we take natural resources from the Earth, make products with them, and then throw them away as waste. This ‘take-make-waste’ process is linear and has led to the pollution crisis that we face today. A circular economy, in contrast, is a model for rethinking consumption and production entirely, and it aims at preventing waste from being produced in the first place.

So how does it work?

The circular economy is driven by design and is based on three key principles: 1) design out waste and pollution by using innovative materials and operating in closed-loop systems; 2) keep products and materials in use by using materials that are recyclable or compostable; and 3) regenerate natural systems by saving the organic inputs from waste and using them to either generate energy or produce organic fertiliser to promote healthy soils. Because the circular economy helps to minimise the consumption of raw materials and lowers emissions, it plays an important role in tackling the three planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and the pollution pandemic. The circular economy is underpinned by a transition to renewable energy and materials, and in this way decouples economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, meaning it’s good for business, good for people, and good for the environment.

Of course, achieving a circular economy is not so simple, and that’s what #Enviro22 is aimed at discussing. The first day of the conference explored a variety of topics in plenary and breakout sessions, from frameworks and metrics, design, concepts of repair and share, and reuse. With a variety of experts and stakeholders sharing their experiences and ideas, the conference provided an opportunity for participants to dig deep into these issues and really understand how the principles of the circular economy can be applied.

This is particularly important for island states who face challenges in accessing financial capital, securing access to markets for circular products or services, and have limited technological capacity.

‘Today was great,’ commented one study tour participant. ‘A lot of these concepts are quite abstract and it’s been useful to break them down to really start understanding what they mean and how they can be applied in our own context.’

‘I was particularly interested in understanding what people are doing with waste, and how they make this economically viable,’ another study tour participant commented. ‘The circular economy is difficult to achieve and even though we have a very different situation to Australia, it’s been good to see how this can be applied across different sectors. It’s given me some ideas, which I think will help me to become more effective with the work I’m doing in my own country.’

It was another day jam packed with information, but the study tour participants had the opportunity to enjoy a formal dinner at the Australian National Museum, celebrating the rich cultural history of Australia and paying tribute to the ancestors, past, present and future, who have enabled this important exchange to take place.

“It was a great start to the Sustainable Financing for Waste Management study tour here in Canberra listening to different regulators speak about how their systems were planned and designed, the challenges they faced, and how the development and implementation stages have evolved or still are.

What stuck with me was to identify markets before planning a recycling system in your country.

I intend to use and share learnings from the Talanoa sessions with colleagues, stakeholders, and our waste project partners, taking what is applicable to our standard and making improvements as we go through our system development stages.

Excited for the remaining days of this study tour so I can learn more from industry experts and also from my Pacific colleagues about their experiences, challenges, and solutions”

"The presentations from the Regulators from Australia, New Zealand, and our Pacific Island neighbors during the first day of our Study Tour were interactive, and presenters explained in detail the various Container Deposit schemes and sustainable financing systems they have as well as the lessons learned and challenges in the design, development and implementation stages.

While our primary focus is environmentally sound management of recyclable bottles and aluminum cans, there are so many other types of recyclable materials that we should seriously start considering which will have serious implications on the environment.

It is also important to understand and appreciate that each country is socioeconomically unique, and hence not one type of product stewardship scheme will be the solution for another country.

In Fiji, we have embarked on developing the Container Deposit Regulation and will apply the best practices that we will learn from this study tour. Discussions with relevant actors of the Container Deposit System will be key so the scheme is viable in all aspects"

“The Talanoa sessions on an opening day have been very informative and productive with guest speakers sharing different experiences and perspectives. For someone who works at the Ministry of Finance, the sessions have enhanced my knowledge of our role to play in the container refund scheme to succeed.

Some key takeaways for me from the various presentations were:

• Identifying factors to consider when choosing the right refund amount per container
• Understanding the challenges faced by Australia and NZ in the early stages of the scheme and current ongoing improvements to address these challenges
• We should start small when transitioning from a linear to circular economy model as these schemes are costly and will affect end users (consumers)

I intend to share learnings from the Talanoa workshop sessions with colleagues and will specifically prepare a presentation for our managers and CEO at the Ministry of Finance in Samoa upon returning so they can understand the costs, benefits, and operation of the scheme. Hopefully, gain their support through providing funds for early stages of the scheme until it is self-funded.”

“The Talanoa sessions on the very first day of the Sustainable Financing for Waste Management Study Tour were definitely informative, such an information overload, however, these sessions are valuable in terms of designing a sustainable financing system for the Cook Islands.

The lessons learned from the sessions and during Q&A panelists do provide us the participants, an insight on how each country should prepare itself and ourselves in terms of learning from the challenges and what are the available tools we can use to minimize any risks.

There was definitely so much to take however from each presentation/session one key message I would take home in designing our sustainable financing is the following:

• Keeping it Simple from Kylie Hughes
• Working together (government/private sectors/retailers/business/recycling collectors/community) by Chantal Moore
• Choosing a financial system that works for country specific-Steven Sergi
• Retain your waste by Charleen from Kiribati
• Find a market for all products (exportation of waste) – by Calvin Ikesiil from Palau
• Learning from others will maximize the benefits by Rod Boys of New Zealand”

It begins! Today, 23 representatives from across the Pacific Islands arrived in Canberra, Australia, for the start of the 12-day PacWastePlus and GEF ISLANDS Sustainable Finance Tour.

So what are we doing here and how is it going to work?

As we all know, waste management is one of the most pressing concerns of our time. Not only is it an issue in and of itself, but it is deeply connected to global challenges such as health, climate change, poverty reduction, food and resource security, and sustainable consumption and production. Understanding how to deal with waste management is a complicated task, particularly for small island developing states (SIDS).

One of the biggest concerns is financing – how do we sustainably finance waste management services and what are the best mechanisms for doing this? Answering this question is exactly what we are here to explore.

The main objective of the study tour is to provide Pacific Island countries with a comprehensive, hands-on understanding of the Sustainable Financing Systems in operation in Australia, the different legislative instruments and arrangements that help to sustainably finance waste management and recycling.

The agenda is jam packed. Not only will we travel through Canberra, Albury and Sydney, over the next 12 days, participants will attend the Circular Economy Conference, participate in waste management site visits, engage with different legislators, and share ideas through intensive workshops and talanoas.

Each participant has unique skills and capacity to drive their country’s Sustainable Financing System, and this study tour will help to enable them to apply the findings and lessons learned when designing or expanding systems in their own countries. It’s an exciting opportunity to promote understanding, build awareness, and help create more sustainable waste management systems.

If it sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. The topics are complex, and often abstract, but we’ll be providing daily updates to both unpack the issues and to share ideas for what needs to happen to turn the tide on waste management in the Pacific.

Hey we made it to the news!

Fifteen SIDS delegates are now traveling to Australia where they will learn about sustainable financing for waste management systems.

Stay connected through this group to follow their adventures!