India and Norway launch initiative to combat Marine Pollution

The Union Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) has recently signed a letter of intent with the Norwegian government to launch the India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative. In partnership, both the countries will share experiences and competence, and collaborate on efforts to develop clean and healthy oceans, sustainable use of ocean resources and growth in the blue economy. The first Joint initiative of both the governments will combat marine pollution, which is one of the fastest growing environmental concerns. The initiative will seek to support local governments in implementing sustainable waste management practices, develop systems for collecting and analyzing information about sources and scope of marine pollution and improve private sector investment. The Indian and Norwegian governments will also work towards beach clean-up efforts, awareness raising campaigns and pilot project using plastic waste as fuel substitution for coal in cement production and developing frameworks for deposit schemes.