Asia Pulp & ​Paper Begins ​Water Security ​Initiative

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Asia Pulp & ​Paper Begins ​Water Security ​Initiative

Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) has begun a new water security and sustainable living project on Indonesia’s Pari Island (Thousand Islands), which includes, improving water resource technology, waste management and providing the community with training on sanitation and hygiene.

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Image source: Asia Pulp & Paper

As the island primarily depends on tourism this project will also be working on education programs, teaching tourists smarter water usage and waste reduction techniques.

The current project is built on the “Community Education to Raise Awareness on Water Security and Water Quality in Small Islands,” which was completed on Pari island last year.

As the Chair of the Indonesia Water Mandate Working Group (IWMWG) under the Indonesia Global Compact Network (IGCN), APP, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Office Jakarta, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), is seeking solutions that would offer better water quality and management by utilizing the lessons learned and recommendations made on Pari Island.

Some of the recommendations are to support local community initiatives, including local entrepreneurs.

APP’s initiative coincides with this year’s World Environment Day theme #BeatPlasticPollution, working with smaller communities to strive for a waste-free water supply.  Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues.  In Indonesia, it is estimated that 1.3 million tonnes of plastic waste ends up in the sea waters.  According to the UN Environment Programme, this waste becomes part of the food chain and ends up on many people’s dinner tables.

APP plans to expand to other island communities in the country by adopting and further developing the recommendations.  Potential communities include the Komodo UNESCO World Heritage site and Biosphere Reserve, the Wakatobi UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and the Berbak-Sembilang proposed UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Through the multi-stakeholder approach, APP hopes its efforts will support the country reach its goal of a 70 percent reduction in its plastic debris by the end of 2025.  This will significantly reduce marine plastic around the coastlines and be a major step towards a trash-free Indonesia.

Press Release by: Asia Pulp & Paper

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