The linear consumption and production behaviour of the population has a sharply increasing negative impact on the environment: the waste generation for Vientiane Capital is about 500 tons per day (0.7kg per capita). The rate of recycling is estimated at less than 10% with recyclables mostly exported for further processing to neighbouring countries (Thailand, Vietnam, China).

Policy initiatives such as the National Plastics Action Plan expected to be launched this year by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) strive to provide the necessary framework. On the ground, it is environmental Civil Society Organisations who play a significant role with regards to raising environmental awareness. They contribute to policy-making processes from district up to national level, given their strong links to the community and understanding of people’s realities, specifically of disadvantaged groups.

Direct beneficiaries:

• 20 formal women and youth focused CSOs (special focus on ethnic groups)
• 20 informal youth and women groups
• 4 provincial youth and women mass organisations in Vientiane Capital and Luang Prabang
• 6 local authorities in the two targeted provinces

Indirect beneficiaries:

• 1’000’000 individuals reached through targeted awareness raising of which 75% are youth/women and 20% are from ethnic minorities
• 50’000 households benefit from improved environment and waste management services in Vientiane (40’000) and Luang Prabang (10’000) provinces

Outcome 1: Improved role of Lao CSOs in environment policy processes with particular focus on sustainable consumption and production.

Outcome 2: Increased environmentally-conscious behaviour among wider population with focus on youth and women.

Outcome 3: Improved recycling systems, and employment and income generation from green and upcycled products.

Expected results:  

• 40 CSOs strengthened in environmental advocacy and at least 8 environmental polices / / strategies / action plans discussed in bi-annual policy dialogue with the project’s public and private partners
• 20 CSOs strengthened in research skills completing 20 publications and 4 research papers/studies
• Strengthened capacities of 50 CSOs and other target groups (mass organisations, local authorities) in rolling-out environmental awareness raising campaigns, reaching up to 1,000,000 people
• 2 provincial CSO networking groups established and 40 CSOs linked with at least one networking event for support services led by CSOs
• 16 CSOs accessing green marketplaces and up to 20 continuous cooperations between CSOs and waste pickers (groups) for provision of recyclables CSO established; 90 female youth benefit from mentoring programme
• 18 CSOs and other target groups (mass organisations, local authorities) with increased skills in developing recycling solutions, and 6 recycling solutions piloted in coordination with local authorities and the private sector

Results from previous phases:  

The “Sustainable Consumption and Production” project (SCP) builds on the “Waste to Value” (W2V) project, implemented by Swisscontact in Lao since 2021 and supported via institutional funding from SDC’s Multilateral Affairs and NGO division. W2V aims to strengthen the environmental performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in the hospitality and tourism sector by improving waste management practices, access to green products and jobs, and awareness raising in Vientiane province.

The EUs strategic long term interest in environment and waste management and its decision to fund the SCP project enables the scaling up of W2V. It allows for:

(i) a geographic expansion and incrementally including rural ethnic minority areas (LNOB)
(ii) broadening the scope of green/upcycled products and waste management solutions beyond the tourism industry
(iii) expanding partnerships with key public and private partners (e.g. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment MoNRE; National University of Laos; environmental consultancies)

SDC: Waste to Value (Swisscontact), LURAS III, CEGGA II, VTESS

Other DPs: EU (co-funding donor; EU funded SUSTOUR project, implemented by Plan International); UNDP (project “climate promise”)