Sustainable Asia

Why is the protected totoaba fish maw on sale in Hong Kong dried seafood markets? Enforcing international trade agreements on endangered marine species is a challenge everywhere. But in Hong Kong the punishment doesn’t befit the crime when it comes to trading in endangered marine species. And research has shown that some of the same traffickers in endangered wildlife are also trafficking in illega...

Marine species are often regarded as food first, and wildlife second. For conservationists seeking to protect these creatures, controlling international trade routes are key. A global agreement that came into force in the 1970s, CITES – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species - is considered a cornerstone of international conservation. But does it make any difference...

Sustainability is now part of the seafood conversation in Hong Kong and China thanks to local NGO seafood guides that help shoppers make the right choices and apps that collect data on individual fish in an effort to prevent smuggling. And in Chinese medicine, researchers are testing the efficacy of traditional ingredients such as the seahorse, and working to find substitutes. But are these effort...

In Hong Kong, seafood is an integral part of both cuisine and culture. The region’s trade in fish products was worth US$3 billion last year . Rare and exotic species are highly valued as signs of status, and the presence on the banquet table of delicacies such as shark fin and sea cucumber is often expected. But where does all this seafood come from? In this new podcast series, we explore the exte...

There is a new type of mari-culture called “marine ranching” off the coasts of China. In fact, China’s 13th Five Year Plan calls for billions to be spent on artificial reefs and seeding juvenile fish in the ocean - using scientific and sustainable methods. Can the local provinces implement marine ranching pilot programs with sustainability in mind? How is this program impacting ocean habitat...

China’s domestic aquaculture has struggled with the pressures of China’s economic growth - and its demands for fish feed are making China’s coastal overfishing problem…. even worse. Can China’s massive fish export industry be sustained under current overfishing conditions? The World Bank has predicted that in ten years, China will account for 38% of the world’s fish consumption. How is China prepa...

Since the Han Dynasty, fishing was the main source of livelihood on the Yangtze River basin - now the Yangtze is closed to all fishing for ten years. Marine pollution and overfishing have been knocking on China’s door since the 1986 Fisheries Law and the reform period in China. Why is China facing a critical state of overfishing in its marine waters and what are they doing about it? Sound engineer...

In 1986, China passed its Fisheries Law, privatising fishing vessels and unleashing a massive expansion in the fleet. Today one in four fishing vessels in the world are Chinese. Most are fishing off China’s coast, leading to a significant problem with overfishing. But the oceans, and the resources they hold, are shared by everyone. What is China’s place in the global network of policies regulating...

The innovation in the recycling industry shows that recycled materials are not necessarily of a lower quality. Asia is only starting to embrace the many things that can be made from recycled plastic.  Produced in collaboration Ocean Recovery Alliance. Music by Alex Mauboussin, follow him at Kalelover. Guests: Brian Thurston, Senior Advisor, Plastic Disclosure Project Jose Lopez, Senior A...

What can be done to lower the cost of recycling plastics in Asia, so we can further increase the scale of production to make recycling easier and more profitable?  Produced in collaboration Ocean Recovery Alliance. Music by Alex Mauboussin, follow him at Kalelover. Guests: Ashwin Subramaniam, CEO & Founder at GA Circular (Gone Adventurin’) Kian Hoe Seah, Managing Director at Heng Hiap Ind...

Moving to a plastic circular economy in Asia requires changes in behavior and better waste management infrastructure.  Produced in collaboration Ocean Recovery Alliance. Music by Alex Mauboussin, follow him at Kalelover. Guests: Trish Hyde, Managing Director, The Plastics Circle and Founder of PlastX Doug Woodring, Founder/Managing Director at Ocean Recovery Alliance Ashwin Subramaniam, CEO &...

The Ocean Plastics Charter pledges to recycle and reuse at least 55% of plastic packaging by 2030. It also commits brands to increase the amount of recycled plastic content in their packaging by 50%.  Produced in collaboration with Ocean Recovery Alliance. Music by Alex Mauboussin, follow him at Kalelover. Guests: Doug Woodring, Founder/Managing Director at Ocean Recovery Alliance Ellen Jacko...

China is trying to find the solutions to its immense waste crisis. According to World Bank numbers, the country is currently dealing with 200 million tonnes of garbage a year. Landfills are crammed and a burden to their surrounding communities. To solve this, China is building more waste-to-energy plants than the rest of the world combined. But is this the right direction? Guests: Jennifer Turner,...

With all the effort going into recycling, Europe is still only at a 30% plastic recycling rate, and the US trails way behind at 9%. And this was before China stopped processing the West’s recycling! Why are these numbers so low? When did plastic recycling get so complicated? Guests: Doug Woodring, Ocean Recovery Alliance Michelle Jou, Covestro China Philippe Li, HK Recycles Hong Kong Chen Liw...

So you thought your recyclable waste was going to a local processing plant? Instead it was very likely shipped to China, along with about half of the world’s exported plastic waste. However, in January 2018 China decided to ban plastic waste imports and end this charade. Now western countries are now forced to deal with their own waste. But what motivated China to shut down an industry so many of...

Rivers are at the heart of China’s economic development, but recent research indicates they may also be critical in transporting plastics into the ocean. What is China doing to stop pollution from flowing into river systems? The 19th Party Congress in 2017 is where Xi Jinping spelled out his ambition for a Beautiful China. During the Party Congress, the Five Year Plan was approved - putting in mot...

Everywhere you look, on beaches and in seas around the world, there’s plastic, and this is changing the fabric of our oceans. Why is plastic ocean pollution such a problem - particularly in Asia? In this episode we will be talking to experts from the academic, government and advocacy world, to learn about the impact of ocean plastic on seafood and our health. We will learn about how microplastics...

Eight Million takes you through the ins and outs of plastic waste treatment globally and in China. It’s an illuminating look at how China is closing their doors on imported plastic waste, and turning their back on industrial pollution in favor of building an ‘ecological civilization’. Guests:   Isabel Hilton, Chinadialogue