Over 45 countries of Asia and Pacific region sign Indore declaration  

Indore: Mayors of more than 45 countries of Asia and Pacific region signed the Indore 3R Declaration of achieving Clean Land, Clean Water and Clean Air in cities. The 3R Declaration of Asian Mayors on Achieving Clean Land, Clean Water and Clean Air was presented by Mayor Malini Gaud at the 8th Regional 3R Forum in Asia and Pacific at Brilliant Convention Centre on Wednesday.

The members of the 3R forum also pledged to adopt the recommendations of Indore 3R Declaration with the aim to achieve the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals and new urban agenda. The declaration, which was prepared on the basis of suggestions by the members of 3R forum, was drafted and discussed by the members before adopting it.

In her speech, Mayor Gaud said, “I believe that by the adoption of the declaration documents, positive changes towards sustainable development will take place in Asia Pacific countries and their city governments. The declaration will ensure the path of development through 3Rs– Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.”

She said having access to clean land, clean water and clean air are the fundamental rights of every citizen and it can be achieved only by using the 3R infrastructure techniques. “By adopting the Indore 3R Declaration, we will achieve mission of zero waste, which is the theme of this forum,” she added.

The nine recommendations for 3Rs in Asia and the Pacific includes the recommendation of closing gaps between institutional and investment needs (improved waste management) and opportunities (circular economy, sharing, ICT-use, re-use, product service system, long term goal of declaration and decoupling). It also includes stakeholders’ engagement and consensus building-based policy and specific challenges faced by small island countries and remote rural areas in the region.

The declaration

• Accelerate movement of holistic waste management in our cities through prevention, reduction, reuse and recycling of all waste streams (including waste, municipal solid waste, and domestic waste water) with an objective to achieve clean land, clean water and clean air, including Greenhouse gas.
• Implement local-level actions to make cities clean, safe, smart, resilient, resource efficient, inclusive and sustainable through the effective implementation of 3R policies and promote tenets of circular economy for moving towards a zero waste society.
• Foster sustainable urban development, planning and practices focusing on eco-products, green energy, rainwater harvesting, conservation of water bodies, urban farming with composting, safe disposal of agricultural waste, green city development, green construction materials, etc for maintaining bio-diversity.
• Inspire citizens to take proactive ownership for managing their own waste, including segregation at source, on-site processing of bio-degradable waste, safe handling of other waste forms and safe disposal by concerned agencies.
• Partner and collaborate with civil society organisations, including integration of informal sector with formal waste management chain in order to provide decentralised approaches to 3R, along with providing sustainable livelihood opportunities, while minimising health and environmental impacts.
• Leverage national and international collaborations to promote (i) 3R as an economic industry, 3R-related science, technology and infrastructure, inter-municipal, inter-industry and city to city cooperation, (ii) public-private-partnership for integrated waste management, and expand investment opportunities in the 3R space.
• Strive towards complete ban of illegal disposal of plastics in eco-sensitive or eco-fragile areas, including in tourist areas close to oceans, rivers, lakes, wetlands other water bodies and mountains, to preserve coastal, marine and mountains ecosystems and resources, keeping in mind the widespread plastic littering which affects eco-systems.
• Undertake to work towards sound and sustainable waste water management and treatment and reuse with an objective to achieve water security and water quality for sustaining livelihood, in view of the critical nexus between water quality, water security and effective implementation of 3R policies, programmes and infrastructure development.
• Focus on sound and effective management of new emerging waste streams such as micro plastics, chemicals and hazardous waste, e-waste, medical waste and construction and demolition waste.
• Promote and facilitate the use and development of viable existing and emerging technology, including information and communication technologies to strengthen the waste management value chain.
• Engage in dissemination and acceptance of national and international best practices in 3R among all stakeholders for wide-scale adoption and replication.