SWITCH-Asia

WHEN:  30 May 2025     I    TIME:  14:00 - 16:20 (Bangkok Time)    I    Watch the recording  HERE

Background:

In line with the EU Green Deal and the Global Gateway strategy, the European Union is committed to supporting countries in their transition toward low-carbon, resource-efficient, and circular economies. A core part of this effort is the promotion of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices and patterns. To drive this transition, the SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component (PSC) plays a key role by enhancing SCP policy development and implementation across 42 countries in the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific.

The PSC operates by advising national governments and engaging regional organizations and networks through multi-country approaches. It delivers technical assistance, facilitates knowledge exchange, and builds the capacity of regional institutions. The programme focuses on advancing Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) and other SCP-related objectives, while also working to integrate SCP into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and broader climate action strategies. A strong emphasis is placed on stakeholder engagement—particularly with the private sector—and on effective communication around SCP progress.

Within this context, the SWITCH-Asia Programme has been actively supporting the development of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems. Building on previous work, the current Technical Assistance (TA) project aims to deepen understanding of the enabling conditions and policy frameworks that can strengthen EPR implementation in the Asia-Pacific region. The project also seeks to draw practical lessons from both EU and Asian experiences to help foster circular and low-carbon economies across the region.

The objectives of this TA are threefold:

• To identify success factors, gaps, and recommendations that can enable effective EPR systems and material circularity, in consultation with stakeholders;
• To conduct a review of existing EPR frameworks against enabling conditions; and
• To map the key experts and stakeholder groups shaping the effective functioning of EPR systems in the target countries.

Webinar Session:

The SWITCH-Asia Programme is organizing a regional knowledge-sharing webinar to present findings and recommendations on the development of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems across the Asia-Pacific region. The event will provide a platform for discussion among key stakeholders, including EPR-responsible line ministries, government authorities, and EPR organizations from the five participating countries: Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan.

These countries represent diverse techno-economic contexts and are at varying stages in the development and implementation of EPR systems, ranging from early planning to operational frameworks. The webinar aims to support mutual learning and policy dialogue by:

1. Sharing national overviews of EPR development, findings, and recommendations;

2. Exploring potential pathways forward for strengthening EPR systems; and

3. Presenting the next phase of the SWITCH-Asia TA, which will focus on enhancing secondary raw material circularity.

The webinar will feature two structured panel discussions. The first panel will bring together national experts to provide insights into the status of EPR systems in their respective countries, highlight enabling conditions, and outline policy recommendations derived from recent consultations and analysis. The second panel will introduce the upcoming phase of the TA, with contributions from government representatives who will serve as national counterparts for the future activities.

This open-access webinar welcomes participation from all interested stakeholders across the region and beyond.

Speakers

Zinaida Fadeeva, Team Leader, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component (PSC)

Zinaida Fadeeva is the Team Leader of the Policy Support Component of the SWITCH-Asia Programme. Zinaida has over 25 years leading international professional experience in policy for and practice of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and Education for Sustainable Development, amongst others working with the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Studies of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). Her work has focused on diverse topics such as tourism, plastics, construction, small and medium enterprises, procurement and lifestyle. Zinaida has worked extensively with governments, private sector, international organisations and academia in East, South East, South and Central Asia.

Sachin Joshi, Expert, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component (PSC)

Sachin is a sustainability professional with 25 years of experience in policy research and advocacy, and business advisory. He has led policy work at the Business 20 in 2020, and also led sustainability vertical at the Confederation of Indian Industry, India's largest business association. His work has spanned diverse sustainability topics with considerable focus on green public procurement, circular economy, business model innovation, ESG frameworks, disclosures, and ratings, human rights, and corporate social responsibility.

Soon Hun Yang, CEO Eco-Ideal Consulting Sdn. Bhd, Expert for SWITCH-Asia PSC Malaysia

Founder and CEO of Eco-Ideal Consulting in Malaysia, a company specialising in waste and carbon management in Malaysia. Hun is a certified International Waste Manager (International Status) under the International Solid Waste Association. He has 22 years of experiences in waste management consultancy, including EPR experiences in used tyre, e-waste and packaging waste in Malaysia.

Dr. Panate Manomaivibool, Assistant Dean at the International College, Burapha University, Expert for SWITCH-Asia PSC Thailand

Panate Manomaivibool is a lecturer at the International College, Burapha University (BUUIC). He is now an assistant dean responsible for academic services and sustainability. He works with communities, local governments, companies and NGOs for workable zero-waste solutions to advance the circular economy. Dr.Panate holds a PhD from IIIEE, Lund University.

Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Expert for SWITCH-Asia PSC Pakistan

Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri is the executive director of Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). He is a leading expert on sustainable development, political economy of public policy, food security, and climate change. He serves in various international and national policy-making forums and has represented Pakistan in several official and civil society delegations at the global level. Dr. Suleri is currently a member of the International Advisory Committee of COP29 (an advisory body to the COP29 Presidency), the Advisory Council of Asian Development Bank Institute, the Pakistan Climate Change Council, the Board of Directors of the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF), the Board of Directors of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP),  and the Board of Governors of National School of Public Policy.

Atty. Gregorio Rafael P. Bueta, Faculty Member, Ateneo de Manila School of Law, Expert for SWITCH-Asia PSC Philippines

Atty. Bueta is an international environment, climate, and sustainability legal practitioner and independent consultant based in the Philippines. He has worked with the public and private sector, and with various international development organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the United Nations Environment Programme, UNDP, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH. He has extensively worked with judiciaries and legal professionals across Asia on environment and climate change law, with particular in-country experience in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. He has also been involved in legal and regulatory reforms in South Asia in areas such as energy trade and corporate governance.

Yerbol Orazbekov, Expert for SWITCH-Asia PSC Kazakhstan

Yerbol has over 20 years of experience in waste management, including international legislation. He worked in international organizations in the field of environmental protection (National Ecological Center, International Center for Green Technologies and Investment Projects), and for over 13 years in international oil and gas companies (Tengizchevroil, North Caspian Operating Company). He is also author and head of the joint project of the OSCE and IGTIPC Attracting international experience and green technologies for the development of a solid waste management system in the Shchuchinsko-Borovsk and Bayanaul resort areas; initiator and co-leader of the "Jasyl Jol" project, the first electric car marathon in Kazakhstan.

Dr Tengku Zahaslan Tuan Hashim, Director of Delivery Management Unit, Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), Government of Malaysia

Dr Tengku Zahaslan is a career civil servant who has served across various Government Ministries and Agencies, including the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, National Institute of Public Administration, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including a stint at the High Commission of Malaysia in Ottawa, Canada. He is currently the Director of the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) Delivery Management Unit at the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry. He was involved in the development of the Circular Economy Policy Framework for the Manufacturing Sector (launched in September 2024) and also sits in in many Government committees relating to sustainability and decarbonisation.

 Mudassar Raza Siddiqi, Director General (Textile), Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan

Mr. Mudassar Raza Siddiqi is a leading public policy and industry expert with a diverse expertise in various roles in government, industry and academia. He led wide-ranging functions across both domestic and international operations in leading multinational companies of Pakistan wherein his work focused on research and development, product and market diversification, reducing cost of manufacturing, training and development, as well as driving sustainable and lean operational practices. In his role as Director General (Textile) at the Federal Ministry of Commerce Pakistan, he remained instrumental in formulation of Textiles and Apparel Policy 2020-25; bilaterial/multilateral trade negotiations; establishment of National Compliance Center; skill development and women economic empowerment with an objective of improving industrial competitiveness, sustainability and export promotion. He represents the Government of Pakistan in various National Export Councils (on Apparel, Technical Textiles, Textiles), Advisory Councils, Cotton Committees and State-Owned Enterprises. Mr. Siddiqi is also a Member of the Steering Committee of Better Work Pakistan (BWP) and Member of Regional Steering Committee of the Project “Reducing Uses and Releases of Chemicals of Concerns in Textile Sector” being implemented by UNEP in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam. He also serves as Secretary to National Advisory Council that is working on formulation of Pakistan’s Strategy on Sustainable and Circular Textiles.

Agenda