Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz announced the first grants awarded through the U.S. government’s Clean Cities, Blue Ocean program yesterday, totaling USD 345,000. “The Clean Cities, Blue Ocean program incorporates the principles and will help Sri Lankans build sustainable solutions to protect the precious ocean that surrounds us.”In line with Sri Lankan government and grassroots efforts, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Clean Cities, Blue Ocean program will fund pilot projects to minimize the flow of plastic pollution to the ocean. Working in Colombo, Galle, and Jaffna districts, grantees will collaborate with local and national government entities to manage solid waste more effectively. The Clean Cities, Blue Ocean program will provide technical assistance and conduct site-level research to understand specific challenges in solid waste management and enforcement and barriers to private sector investment. The Clean Cities, Blue Ocean program is the U.S. government’s flagship program to respond to the global crisis of ocean plastics pollution.

Source: The Nation April 24, 2021 12:11 UTC