Delivering Plastic Solutions Through Local Leadership at COP30
During the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, in Rio de Janeiro from November 3–5, 2025, WWF and the Alliances for Climate Action mobilised a cohort of 25 fellows from subnational governments in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and South Africa to take part in a series of learning sessions to foster peer networking and forward thinking. Over the course of four thematic sessions and broader […]
Over 100 Informal Waste Workers Gather in First Annual Convention
The initiative aims to better integrate informal waste workers (known as “saleng”) in Thailand into formal waste management/recycling systems, strengthen public–private partnerships, and promote sustainable waste practices across the city. Over 120 Informal Waste Workers Gather in Surat Thani Behind Surat Thani’s cleaner streets are the Saleng workers—informal waste workers who keep the municipality moving, despite limited social protection, recognition, and support. On 9 December 2025, over 120 members from the Saleng Association were brought together for its annual convention organised by WWF-Thailand […]
Derawan Pilots Island-based Waste Management with Plastic Smart Cities Framework
Inauguration of Derawan Island Waste Sorting House is set for Wednesday, 11 February 2026, in Derawan Island Village, Berau, East Kalimantan. Known for its stunning marine life, Derawan Village in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, has become a growing gateway for marine tourism. But as tourism expands, so do waste management challenges—especially for an island village located inside a Marine Protected Area. The island’s 80 non-residential buildings—including hotels and restaurants—generate an average […]
SEA of Solutions 2025 Bangkok: Plastic Smart Cities Reflections
Plastic Smart Cities and WWF-Thailand joined governments, industry leaders, civil society organizations, and coastal communities from across Southeast and East Asia at the Sea of Solutions 2025, convened by COBSEA (Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia) and UNEP (16 – 18 December 2025, Bangkok). The event brought together key stakeholders to strengthen regional dialogue on addressing marine plastic […]
WWF-Indonesia and Ministry Partner to Tackle the Triple Planetary Crisis
This article is developed based on the original post from WWF Indonesia. In a decisive step toward addressing global environmental challenges, WWF-Indonesia and the Ministry of Environment hosted a multi-stakeholder discussion titled the Plastic, Climate, and Biodiversity Forum in Jakarta on 28 October 2025. The forum served as a strategic platform to strengthen synergy and collaboration among key stakeholders […]
Luang Prabang Officially Joins Plastic Smart Cities
On 3 December 2024, Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage City in Laos known for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, officially joined the Plastic Smart Cities (PSC) initiative in partnership with WWF-Laos. A municipal waste profile study conducted in 2023 revealed that the city generates an estimated 4,583 tonnes of plastic waste annually. […]
Cleaning Up Canals In Venice
Research by the Italian Institute for Marine Research (CNR-ISMAR) found the canals of the historic city center of Venice to be littered with a large amount of waste and in particular, car tyres; this is due to the common practice, especially by heavy load transport boats, of using tyres as boat fenders. Project Objectives: The […]
From Waste to Wealth: Women Waste Collectors Key to Plastic Recycling in Viet Nam’s Hue City
Every morning, Aunty Vang rises with the sun, grabs a quick bite to eat, and sets out with her trusty old pushcart along the streets of Hue – Viet Nam’s ancient capital and a rising tourism hotspot. “Does anyone have bottle caps to sell?” Aunty Vang would call out to the streets of An Dong […]
A new collaboration to manage plastic waste in Jakarta, Bogor and Depok
The Plastic Smart Cities initiative has been implemented in Indonesia since 2021 in 5 different cities: Bogor, Jakarta, Depok, Makassar, and Denpasar (Bali). In January 2024, WWF-Indonesia, with Plastic Smart Cities, launched a new collaboration with three institutions from Indonesia: PT. KIBUMI, PT. WASTE4CHANGE and the RECO Consortium, which consists of PT. Million Waste Indonesia, […]
Community Generates Funds from Selling Recyclables through a Waste Bank Initiative
The separation of waste at source is supported through the provision of segregation bins to collect recyclable waste, which is sold to recyclers – this intervention generates income for the community from waste sorting. KEY SUCCESSES As of November 2023, the community has sold recyclable waste to the junk shop five times, totalling 1,195 kilograms […]