Development of Sustainable Gastronomy Tourism Itineraries and Value Chains in the Pacific SIDS
6 May 2025
Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP) Project
6 May 2025
Standards And Certification Programme For Phasing Out Single-Use Plastics In The Pacific Tourism Industry
Context And Background
In alignment with Goal 4 of the 2030 PSTPF and the Cleaner Pacific 2035 Strategy, SPREP has collaborated with SPTO to jointly implement activities to reduce single-use plastics (SUP) across the Pacific Tourism Industry through the Pacific Ocean Litter Project (POLP). The partnership supports the research, design, development, implementation and monitoring of a dedicated programme to phaseout SUPs targeting tourism businesses.
What is the Standards and Certification Programme?
The programme aims to create awareness of sustainable plastic alternative products within the Pacific Tourism Industry and provide accessible information on alternative approaches. The programme comprises three components:
- Standards for Phasing out SUPs in the Tourism Industry – outlines ambitious goals and responses for phasing out SUPs in the Pacific tourism sector. It offers a framework for national tourism organisations and businesses to evaluate and enhance their sustainability practices.
- Certification Framework for Phasing out SUPs in the Tourism Industry : A Decade of Action – A 10 Year Action Plan setting out the groundwork for national certification programs in tourism. It outlines a process and targets as well as a timeline to phase out 100% of SUPs by 2035.
- Toolkit – The Toolkit supports the Standards and Certification Framework by providing resources, examples, templates, and tools for tourism businesses as they advance in their SUP phase out and sustainability journey.
About the Pacific Ocean Litter Project
Funded by the Australian Government and implemented by SPREP in collaboration with SPTO and PICTs, the POLP (2019-2027) is working to reduce SUP marine litter in Pacific coastal environments. It has been developed in recognition of the threat marine litter poses to the environment, public health, and economic development of the region.
