UNITED OCEAN CONFERENCE 2025

Upcoming event

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Extended Producer Responsibility:
The Wind Behind the Sails in Tackling Marine Pollution

Event details for a Central European Summer Time meeting on June 12, 2025, from 8:45 to 10:00 am at the Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée, in-person format.

As marine plastic pollution continues to threaten ecosystems, economies, and communities worldwide, one policy tool stands out as a powerful driver of change—Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). By shifting the burden of plastic waste management onto producers, EPR fosters accountability, waste prevention, and circularity.

To be truly effective, EPR must go beyond financing recycling infrastructure—it should incentivize sustainable design, encourage reuse systems, and include eco-modulation to reward sustainable packaging choices. Additionally, deposit return schemes and litter prevention programs must be integrated to ensure systemic impact.

This session will explore how EPR can be effectively implemented across different economic contexts, from high-infrastructure nations to regions still developing waste management systems. We will highlight best practices, policy frameworks, and innovations that can drive systemic change, proving that when designed correctly, EPR is the wind behind the sails of a cleaner, healthier ocean.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production, with an infinity symbol in white on a gold background.
Blue safety sign indicating goal 14 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which is to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources, featuring a fish and three wavy water lines.
SDG Goal 13: Climate Action, with a green background and a white eye icon containing a globe.
Icon graphic representing sustainable cities and communities, showing a row of buildings of different sizes and shapes on an orange background with the number 11 and the text 'Sustainable Cities and Communities'.
Illustration of a tree and three birds with text about goal 15: life on land, on a green background.

This side event is organised by Searious Business in partnership with CITEO

MEET THE SPEAKERS

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Junu Shrestha

A woman with curly brown hair and earrings standing outdoors in a natural setting with greenery in the background, wearing a colorful patterned dress with red, blue, and white colors.
Stylized black text spelling 'CITEO' with unique letter designs on a white background.
Smiling young woman with wavy dark hair, wearing small earrings, standing outdoors near a brick wall.
Outline of a human figure with various body parts labeled in black and white

Marie Chauloux

Zaynab Sadan

Portrait of a young woman with blonde hair and a slight smile, wearing a black top against a dark background.
A smiling man with glasses and wavy hair, wearing an orange polo shirt and checkered pants, standing in front of a background with blue and red abstract patterns.
PR three logo with an orange background, white letters 'PR' and the number '3', and a stylized spiral symbol.
A man smiling outdoors in front of lush green plants, wearing a blue patterned shirt, holding a sign that reads '#SPREP25'.
Logo of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), featuring a sailboat, a palm tree, and water with a starry sky.
A woman with long dark hair, wearing a white shirt with a Caribbean Food Industry logo, and flower-shaped earrings, smiling against a gray background.

Sarah Baulsch

Rahyang Nusantara

Anthony Talouli

Logo of Caribbean Biodiversity Fund with a stylized wave and green dots

Rachel Ramsey

A man with a shaved head, glasses, and a beard, wearing a collared shirt and blazer, standing indoors with a blurred background.
Logo with the word 'COAL' and a globe inside the 'C' showing North and South America, Europe, and Africa in green and black.
A woman with long, wavy brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a dark blazer and a light blue top, standing in front of a colorful, teal and green abstract background.
Logo for 'Seamous Business' featuring the word 'Seamous' in blue script above the word 'BUSINESS' in bold white capital letters on a blue gradient background.

Andres Del Castillo

Willemijn Peeters

AGENDA

Opening Remarks & Introduction to EPR

Speakers: Wilemjn Peeters, Searious Business & Junu Shrestha, World Bank

Fireside chat: EPR in Action – Concrete Applications
Moderated by: Willemijn Peeters, Searious Business

  1. Prevention first - The French EPR Framework, Reuse, and Reduction: Supporting the Fight Against Litter and Marine Pollution. (Marie Chauloux, Citeo)

  2. Reuse & Litter Prevention – Case studies on EPR including reuse models that reduce litter and prevent marine pollution. (Rahyang Nusantara, PR3)

  3. Financing Recycling Through EPR – Why EPR is fundamental for sustainable financing and how it can drive circular economy investments. (Rachel Ramsey, Caribbean Biodiversity Fund)

Pecha Kucha: EPR in Different Economic Contexts – From Cities to SIDS

  1. Plastic Polymer Fee - Closing the financing gap in the plastics treaty (Andres Del Castillo, CIEL)

  2. EPR in SIDS (Small Island Developing States) – Examining plastic pollution challenges and EPR implementation in SIDS like Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and Antigua-Barbuda. (Anthony Talouli, SPREP)

  3. Policy Recommendations & Next Steps – Designing effective EPR frameworks that drive systemic change, unlock financial resources, and align with the Global Plastics Treaty. (Zaynab Sadan, WWF)

Interactive Session: “Charting the Course for Effective EPR”

To ensure engagement and real takeaways, we include a participatory session where the audience contributes ideas and solutions.

Closing Remarks (5 minutes) (Sarah Baulch, Pew Charitable Trusts)

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