Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution Programme

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The Green Tannery Initiative: Towards positioning Ethiopia’s leather sector in the global arena

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The SMEP-funded project, the Green Tannery Initiative, has demonstrated that Ethiopia’s leather industry can convert its solid waste into high-value organic fertiliser – creating a profitable and sustainable circular economy model – by piloting enzymatic unhairing and solid waste valorisation technologies. Ethiopia is globally recognised for its superior leather quality, particularly that of highland sheep, […]

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Raw potential: How Africa is recasting industrial power beyond plastics

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The future of Africa’s industrialisation may not lie in silicon chips or machine learning but in sustainable natural materials and regional cooperation. Across East and West Africa, governments are moving beyond extractive models and towards policies that fuse environmental resilience with industrial renewal. In Ghana, a national policy blueprint is steering the country’s economy towards

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Innovation beyond high-tech: Traceability for resilience and fair trade in the Global South

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As commodity‑reliant economies face growing demand for environmental and labour accountability, SMEs are combining traditional practices with adapted traceability solutions that fit local realities, helping them meet global trade rules, strengthen market access and protect livelihoods. At a tannery in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian and Indian project researchers are testing enzyme-based methods to replace harmful chemicals

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From Evidence to Impact: SMEP’s footprint on the Global Plastics Treaty

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With mounting evidence of the pervasive nature of the plastics pollution crisis, to the extent that micro-plastic is now found in Arctic ice and human bloodstreams, and global production exceeding 460 million tonnes per year, incremental solutions are no longer enough. The upcoming resumed session of the 5th round of negotiations for the Global Plastics

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From Geneva to Nice and back: SMEP’s circular route to ocean action

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A new global coalition for seaweed has been announced at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) on 13 June 2025 marking a milestone for ocean and climate resilience, pollution mitigation and equitable and sustainable trade. Echoing the call by UN Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD’s) Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan to promote stronger governance of the ocean economy

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What we have learnt: Understanding traceability and due diligence in the leather supply chain

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The global leather industry—valued at over USD 400 billion—supports millions of livelihoods, especially in South Asia and Africa. Yet, despite its economic significance, the industry faces critical challenges regarding environmental sustainability, ethical sourcing, and global compliance with evolving regulations. As climate-conscious regulations tighten, particularly in Europe, the sector faces a critical juncture. Countries like Pakistan

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Rethinking Leather Production: A four-part SMEP series on Sustainable Leather Production

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“There once was a king who ruled a wealthy country. One day, he decided to visit every corner of his kingdom. After returning to his palace, he complained about the pain in his feet from the rocky roads. Frustrated, he ordered his men to cover all the roads in his country with soft leather. This,

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An ocean of waste and opportunity: Rethinking marine pollution at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference

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On 8 June, the UN World Oceans Day invites us to “marvel at a realm that sustains half the planet’s oxygen, cradles most biodiversity and feeds over a billion people”. Yet by 2025, as countries convene for the third time at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France, the seas remain choked with

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