Mr. Kanin Laopirun, PhD Candidate in NRM Receives NERPS Best Presentation Award for Research on International Trade and Plastic Pollution in Southeast Asia

Department of Development and Sustainability is pleased to announce that Mr. Kanin Laopirun, a PhD candidate in Natural Resources Management Programme received the NERPS Best Presentation Award with a research title of ‘International Trade and Plastic Pollution in Southeast Asia’ at the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS) Conference, which was jointly organized by Hiroshima University and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) from 28 February to 3 March 2023 in Thailand.

His research presentation tried to explore a question on how international trade can solve plastic pollution with regional contexts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, under supervision of Dr. Takuji W. Tsusaka. It learned that the existing ASEAN environmental governance should incorporate international trade policy and measure of the ASEAN Economic Community Pillar (AEC). ASEAN member countries should consider coordinated actions on plastic waste imports and other plastic products across the value chain to be in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 for reducing and preventing plastic pollution in the environment.

The Department congratulates Mr. Laopirun on this outstanding achievement and looks forward to his continued success in his academic pursuits.