Plastic waste management and recycling activities have the potential to reduce the environmental impacts of plastic production and to tap the economic value of would-be waste materials through circular economy approaches. This report focuses on the framework for establishing effective practices in Mombasa, Kenya, with policymaking, institutional support and regulations, and with implications for similar contexts elsewhere.

This report is a companion to the independent scientific report Stockholm+50: Unlocking a Better Future (SEI & CEEW, 2022) prepared ahead of the UN international meeting ‘Stockholm+50: a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity’. The report is meant to capture the perspectives of youth, authored by a group of early-career researchers at Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).

This paper provides an overview of the country’s manufacturing value chain of textiles and garments, and the status of sustainable manufacturing throughout these so-called upstream processes, from raw material procurement to ready-made garment production. After outlining the regulatory structure that influences the upstream textile and garments value chain in India, the author explores the challenges and drivers faced by textile manufacturers in India, along with providing policy suggestions and highlighting the opportunities for sustainable transitions.

This scoping report synthesizes the authors’ initial work to understand the differentiated impacts of air pollution on workers in East and Southeast Asian countries and to identify evidence-based recommendations from regional case studies to help improve air quality and foster healthy employment in the context of just transitions towards a low-carbon economy.

This brief provides an overview and discussion of barriers and drivers for enterprises to adopt circular economy practices. The research involved a literature review, an online survey with enterprises in the Southeast Asian region, and an in-person workshop discussing circular practices with private companies and other circular economy stakeholders. Business leaders and enterprises often understand the benefits of circular economy approaches but lack appropriate support from policy and financial institutions to make the necessary investments towards change.