Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

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Transitioning from single-use plastics to eco-friendly alternatives was discussed at the working meeting.

During the workshop, representatives of state, non-governmental, and donor organizations discussed the eco-friendly and economically acceptable alternatives to single-use plastics.

Mr. Solomon Pavliashvili, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Mrs. Rebecca Lie, Deputy Head of Mission at the Norwegian Embassy in Tbilisi, and Mr. Douglas Webb, Resident Representative at the UNDP in Georgia, attended the meeting.
Mr. Solomon Pavliashvili thanked the Norwegian government for its support in waste management, noting that the involvement of donor organizations in implementing the national waste management plan is crucial.

"The Ministry has taken significant steps towards reducing plastic waste and joined the High-Ambition Coalition, which envisages the end of plastic waste pollution by 2040. The biggest challenge in waste management is reducing plastic waste, since it comprises 15-16% of all waste. We must continue implementing the green economic growth and go through adopting the European Green Deal to help our country become a full-fledged member of the European Union," said Mr. Solomon Pavliashvili.

Within the framework of the meeting, the parties presented the results of the "Policy Summary: Single Use Plastics Market, Examples and Recommendations". The mentioned document includes successful examples of the implementation of European directives, including existing challenges and general recommendations for policy-makers.

"Plastic pollution is a global problem, which is acute in both Georgia and Norway. We see that Georgia has taken numerous steps in this area-  joined the High Ambition Coalition and developed a national program to eliminate plastic use. Time, resources, and energy are required to achieve sustainable development and green growth in Georgia. Therefore, the more stakeholders we involve in this process, the more long-term and sustainable results we will achieve. We will continue supporting Georgia in reducing plastic pollution, which will contribute to environmental protection, public health, and economic well-being, " said Mrs. Rebecca Lie.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Regional Environmental Center of the Caucasus (REC Caucasus) organized the working meeting with the support of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture and the Embassy of Norway.