Plastic pollution has a severe impact on oceans and marine life. This report, produced by the World Bank’s PROBLUE Programme, summarises actions that can be taken to manage abandoned, lost and otherwise discarded fishing gear, and features the SMEP grantee, Catchgreen, as a case study for biodegradable fishing gear.
The butterfly diagram provides a comprehensive framework for circularity across sectors. Using this model, the SMEP Programme has mapped its projects in Africa and South Asia, showcasing how organic and technical material loops complement each other.
Good management of organic residues, a renewable resource, is often overlooked but constitutes a powerful tool to improve livelihoods and tackle plastic pollution. In Kenya, SMEP-supported organic waste projects are showcasing how circular economy principles can benefit communities. By transforming organic residues into valuable products, these initiatives create jobs, empower marginalised groups, and promote sustainable
A global shift towards non-plastic materials holds significant potential to deliver economic opportunities for the developing world. A new database tracking international trade in non-plastic substitutes is now available on UN Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) online Data Hub.
A global shift towards non-plastic materials holds significant potential to deliver economic opportunities for the developing world. A new database tracking international trade in non-plastic substitutes is now available on UN Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) online Data Hub.
Invented more than 160 years ago, lead-acid batteries, which are reliable and cheap, are still the most widely used rechargeable batteries despite containing toxic lead. The UNCTAD Weekly Tradecast looks at lead-acid batteries and why they remain so popular despite the world moving towards greener energy with UN Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) Henrique Pacini.
For every banana or pineapple we eat, much of the plant is discarded during harvesting or processing. The UNCTAD Weekly Tradecast looks at how we can make sustainable fabrics and other materials recycled from agricultural waste with UN Trade and Development economist Henrique Pacini.
From plastic packaging to fast fashion to car batteries, we have been creating mountains of waste for decades. This episode of the Weekly Tradecast talks trash with UNCTAD economist Henrique Pacini.