At the event (Source: daidoanket.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in cooperation with the Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An World Biosphere Reserve held a ceremony on December 11 to award winning teams of the Youth Innovative Ideas for an Ocean without Plastic programme.
The programme, within the framework of the Youth and Innovation 4 Ocean Initiative implemented by UNESCO in partnership with the Coca Cola Foundation, aimed to promote the key role of youth in the sustainable development of Vietnam.
Three teams won the first prizes worth 70 million VND (over 3,000 USD) each to translate their waste collection ideas into reality at the reserve.
Huynh Ngoc Thai Anh from the Green River, one of the three winning team, said the team hopes their idea can be helpful to many people.
Michael Croft, UNESCO Representative to Vietnam, stressed the programme enabled youth to build ideas via science and technology application for a common goal of ocean sustainability in the future.
Nguyen Que Lam, Deputy Director-General of the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands, wished these creative ideas will be replicated in contribution to Vietnam’s national action plan on ocean plastic waste and the plan on sustainable development maritime economy.
About 8 million metric tonnes of plastic are discarded into the ocean annually with a significant amount originating in Asia, including Vietnam, UNESCO said. At this rate, by 2050, the ocean is on track to contain more plastic than fish./.
VNA
