Background

SEA of Solutions is an annually occurring partnership event towards solving plastic pollution at source, convened by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), through the SEA circular project supported by the Government of Sweden. This year’s SEA of Solutions 2020 will be organized in collaboration with the government of Viet Nam.

SOS2020 Objectives

SOS2020 unites seekers and providers of market-transforming policy, business, and technology solutions, enabling networking among plastic value-chain stakeholders to facilitate information exchange, collaboration, and partnerships that result in reduced single-use plastic production, use of alternative packaging, and increased collection for recycling.

Under the overall theme “Wasting less plastic and keeping it out of the ocean – Has the needle moved?” SOS2020 will:

• Discuss the challenges of managing COVID-19-related waste and the identify the ongoing efforts and multi-stakeholder responses and solutions, with a focus on reduction and recycling;
• Highlight opportunities for transformation through footprint measurement, reporting, and disclosure, plastic neutrality and monetizing waste for communities and businesses;
• Promote and enable policies and incentives towards less plastic wasted through a deeper understanding of market perceptions and consumer behavior.

Participation

SOS2020 brings together:

• Businesses, governments, donor agencies, academia and communities to discuss how their own activities, challenges and best practices are supporting less plastic wasted;
• Women, local communities and the informal sector with their work on fair payment and equal access to opportunities to help lift living standards;
• Youth and community to voice their concerns, present their ideas, and connect with potential mentors, partners, and donors.

The event will be gender balanced and inclusive, ensuring equal opportunity to participate actively as delegates and as speakers. Participation of representatives with expertise in gender equality, a human rights-based approach and representatives of disadvantaged groups will be encouraged and facilitated.

Event Design

With prevailing and likely measures to mitigate COVID-19 risks and impacts, SOS2020 will be run mainly as a virtual event, exploring new ways of exchanging information and interacting. This allows SOS2020 to reach an even greater audience from within and outside the region.