Australia partners with Indonesia to tackle Indo-Pacific pollution
March 8, 2022, 7:32 am

Australia partners with Indonesia to tackle Indo-Pacific pollution

Australia's national science agency and the federal government have formed a partnership with Indonesia to address plastic pollution in the Indo-Pacific (File photo: Pixabay)

The Xinhua reported, Australia's national science agency and the federal government have formed a partnership with Indonesia to address plastic pollution in the Indo-Pacific.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) on Monday announced that, along with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), it has established the Plastics Innovation Hub Indonesia with 1.3 million Australian dollars (950,745 U.S. dollars) in funding.

The hub will bring researchers, investors and the private and public sectors together to collaborate on solutions to plastic waste in waterways in Indonesia and the wider region.

Larry Marshall, chief executive of the CSIRO, said through a collaborative approach plastic pollution could become an environmental and economic benefit.

He said in a media release: "Science can turn this environmental challenge into an economic opportunity by changing the way we behave, and how we make, use, recycle or dispose of plastics, but it will take partnerships across research, business, investors, government and the community to turn the best ideas into real-world solutions."

Environmental pollution (File photo: Pixabay)

"Social innovation is just as important as scientific innovation in solving these challenges, so it's exciting to have partners on the ground in the region shaping and scaling behavioural response for their own communities, and drive change."

According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), there are between 75 million and 199 million tons of plastic currently in the world's oceans.

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According to the Xinhua, the CSIRO estimates that there are 5 billion to 10 billion individual pieces of plastic on coastlines in the Indo-Pacific alone.

Penny Williams, Australia's ambassador to Indonesia, said: "The health of our oceans and waterways is linked to our nations' economic growth and prosperity. Both Indonesia and Australia are island nations that share concerns about the impact of marine plastic pollution."

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Williams said: "We hope this initiative encourages international partners in the region to work together to develop robust measures to identify effective interventions, fill research gaps, and maximize the impact of our joint investment of resources to address this challenging issue."

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”