The Indonesia-sponsored UNEA-4 resolution, “Sustainable Management for the Global Health of Mangroves,” highlights mangroves as vital yet fragile ecosystems rich in biodiversity. However, increasing ocean plastic pollution threatens ecosystem of mangrove forests. While Indonesia has conducted nationwide beach debris surveys, studies on marine litter in mangroves remain limited. To address this, ERIA's Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris, with the support of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOE-J) and in collaboration with Japan NUS Co., Ltd. (JANUS) as the implementing partner, launched the “Pilot Project of Floating and Drifted Marine Plastics in Mangroves” (2023-2025) to better understand and tackle mangrove litter.
The objectives of the pilot project are fourfold:
Assess the amount and the composition of the debris trapped in the Mangrove growing area in Indonesia.
Study the ecosystem impact of the debris on the Mangrove.
Share the study results to raise awareness and mobilize neighbourhood volunteers to conduct clean-up activities.
Partner with regional stakeholders (tourism sectors, citizens etc) and share with them the clean-up manual and improve the situation surrounding the Mangrove area.
Explore the key recommendations derived from this project in the guidelines and toolkit reports through the links below:
Guidelines for Community-led Marine Litter Clean-Up Activities in Mangroves
Guidelines for Community-led Marine Litter Survey in Mangroves
Dec 2022 - Mar 2025
