National Marine Litter Management Action Plan 2021-2030

Abstract

Marine ecosystems are estimated to contribute USD 2.5 trillion to the global economy. The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region is valued at USD 333.8 billion with Kenya’s share being more than USD 4.4 billion. However, marine ecosystems are globally under pressure from various triggers, amongst them, coastal pollution particularly marine litter pollution leading to losses of up to USD 940 billion from the tourism revenue and decline in fisheries. In the WIO region, UNEP-GEF WIO-LaB Project and WIO Trans-boundary Diagnostic Analysis identified marine litter among the main pollutants requiring urgent action. The United Nations General Assembly and the UNEP Regional Seas Programme have also highlighted marine litter as a priority pollution source category requiring urgent action. In 2018, the Nairobi Convention developed a regional Western Indian Ocean Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (WIO-RAPMaLi) in response to Decision CP7/2 to implement the Global Programme of Action (GPA) which recommended several actions including the development and implementation of a model national management plan for marine litter. Following the recommendations of the Nairobi Convention and the ICZM action plan (2019-2023), NEMA has prepared the first National Marine Litter Management Action Plan (NMLMAP) for Kenya. NMLMAP is designed as a flexible tool that guides stakeholders and provides a framework for cooperation to combat marine litter. It contains a set of actions requiring the collective involvement of various stakeholders and allows them to identify measures and actions already being implemented and consider others needed to further combat marine litter. The development of NMLMAP is guided by 8 core principles which include: precautionary principle, the polluter pays principle, integration, the prevention principle, the ecosystem approach, public participation and stakeholder involvement, sustainable consumption and production and the best available knowledge and socioeconomic effectiveness. NMLMAP is presented in seven chapters. Chapter 1 provides the general introduction of marine litter and provides the objectives, justification of the action plan and presents the plan’s conceptual framework. Chapter 2 provides a general overview of marine litter, types, categories, sources and pathways and impacts. It also highlights the status of marine litter in Kenya by presenting findings of studies for macro-litter (beach, floating and benthic), meso-litter on beaches and micro-litter in the water column, sediments and biota. Chapter 3 provides a comprehensive review of SWM in Kenya and summarizes the main challenges experienced in the management of waste from land and sea-based sources. Chapter 4 provides key findings of policy, institutional and regulatory framework reviews and their adequacy in addressing ML pollution. Chapter 5 proposes actions that are aimed at promoting waste prevention, reduction, sustainable management and circular economy, enhanced research, awareness and data dissemination. The proposed actions are categorized into 4 thematic areas: A) prevention and reduction of litter from land-based sources, B) prevention and reduction of litter from sea-based sources, C) prevention and reduction of transboundary waste and D) activities to support the implementation of the plan. The actions are further divided into 12 strategic objectives i.e. 1) promote prevention and reduction of litter from land-based sources, 2) promote sustainable waste management from land-based sources, 3) promote effective wastewater treatment and storm water management, 4) integrate and promote circular economy in solid waste management, 5) promote prevention and reduction of litter from sea-based sources, 6) promote sustainable waste management of litter from sea-based sources, 7) promote prevention and reduction of transboundary waste, 8) support litter removal activities, 9) promote education and awareness on marine litter management, 10) strengthen the engagement of stakeholders in marine litter management, 11) strengthen research and monitoring programmes, and 12) encourage data and information sharing. The specific actions are summarized in Chapter 6 in the implementation matrix that also provides expected outputs, key indicators, implementing institutions, timeframes and associated budget. Chapter 7 provides a summary of how NMLMAP will be implemented. It further details resource mobilization strategies, reporting, monitoring and evaluation and timelines for review. It is expected that successful implementation of the NMLMAP will contribute to the achievement of SDG 6 (target 6.3) on reduction of pollution by reducing untreated wastewater, municipal and waste management which contain micro-plastics, SDG 12 (target 12.4) on the management of chemicals and all waste throughout their life cycle and SDG 14 (target 14.1) on reduction of marine pollution, such as plastic floating debris from land-based activities.