As many provinces in Viet Nam continue to face challenges in securing stable financing and long-term operational mechanisms for managing floating waste in rivers, bays, and coastal areas, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Viet Nam, in collaboration with The Ocean Cleanup and the Departments of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City and Quang Ninh Province, will convene an online policy dialogue titled “Strategic Financing for Sustainable Waste Management in Rivers, Bays, and Coastal Areas” on 23 December 2025.
The webinar aims to share practical experience and policy lessons from ongoing efforts to develop economic–technical norms and financing mechanisms for the collection, transport, and management of floating waste on waterways—an issue of growing concern for local governments amid increasing plastic pollution pressures across riverine and coastal systems.
The discussion will draw on two operational case studies from Viet Nam:
In Can Tho City, UNDP has worked with technical partners and local authorities to pilot and assess floating waste collection on rivers using the Interceptor 003 system. The experience has generated valuable insights into operational requirements, cost structures, data needs, and institutional conditions necessary to sustain riverine waste collection systems over time.
In Quang Ninh Province, the local government has taken a leading role in developing and institutionalising provincial-level economic–technical norms for floating waste collection in bays and coastal waters. These norms provide a foundation for standardising operational processes, clarifying cost parameters, and gradually integrating floating waste management into regular public budgeting and environmental management frameworks.
Beyond policy and public-sector perspectives, the webinar will also introduce selected innovative approaches from Viet Nam and international partners. These examples will highlight how technology, community-based models, and private-sector engagement can complement public systems and support more effective waste management across aquatic environments.
The event is expected to bring together representatives from central ministries, provincial and municipal authorities, public service providers, international organisations, research institutions, and innovation initiatives working in environmental management and pollution prevention.
Through policy dialogue and experience-sharing, the webinar seeks to support local governments in identifying financially viable and operationally realistic pathways to strengthen floating waste management in rivers, bays, and coastal areas, contributing to more sustainable and resilient environmental governance.
EVENT INFORMATION
Date & Time: 14:00–16:10, Tuesday, 23 December 2025
Format: Online (Zoom)
Languages: Vietnamese and English (simultaneous interpretation provided)
Registration: https://undp.zoom.us/w/87150429876
MEDIA CONTACT
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Viet Nam
Ms. Phan Huong Giang
Communications Officer – Climate Change and Environment
📞 +84 948 466 688
📧 phan.huong.giang@undp.org
