Plastic Odyssey, a French vessel currently on a three-year global expedition aimed at combating plastic pollution, docked at the Chennai Port on Thursday
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
Ambassador of France to India Thierry Mathou on Thursday (March 20, 2025) invited Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to join the delegation at a high-level summit on ocean rise and coastal resilience ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025, which will be held in June.
Speaking to the media aboard Plastic Odyssey, a French vessel currently on a three-year global expedition aimed at combating plastic pollution, Mr. Mathou said that Tamil Nadu’s proactive initiatives to address coastal resilience make it a key participant in the Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Coalition Summit.
This event will take place as a precursor to the UN Oceans Conference in Nice, France, where a high-level delegation from India is expected to participate.
Noting the pressing challenges of climate change, ocean rise, and their impacts on local populations, Mr. Mathou highlighted the importance of exchanging best practices, with local and national governments working together to identify new sources of finance and support for these efforts. The focus, he said, would be on regions and cities worldwide most directly impacted by ocean rise, such as the Pacific islands, but he stressed that India, particularly Tamil Nadu, could play a crucial role in advancing solutions.
Mr. Mathou, along with Hervé DM Delphiin, Ambassador, European Union to India and Bhutan, and Etienne Rolland-Piègue, Consul General of France in Pondicherry and Chennai, on Thursday, visited the Plastic Odyssey. The ship is at the end of a month-long stopover in Chennai from March 1, having visited 35 countries worldwide.
Simon Bernard, CEO and co-founder of the Plastic Odyssey, said that the team documents local initiatives that promote sustainable alternatives to plastic and collaborates with non-governmental organisations to develop sustainable recycling business models.
Mr. Delphiin said the European Union is also working with India on initiatives focussing on research and innovation to reduce plastic waste and promote recycling. Tamil Nadu, according to the Ambassador, is a leader in sustainability initiatives.
Published – March 20, 2025 02:56 pm IST