End Plastic Pollution: 175 countries commit to forge internationally binding treaty on plastic pollution

What is the News?

Around 175 countries have endorsed a historic resolution at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) in Nairobi, Kenya titled “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an internationally legally binding instrument”.

What is the purpose of this resolution?

The resolution has agreed to end plastic pollution and adopt an international, legally binding agreement by 2024. 

To prepare a draft agreement for this, the resolution establishes an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee(INC) which will begin its work in 2022.

What will be the objectives of the agreement?

The agreement is expected to reflect diverse alternatives to address the full lifecycle of plastics, the design of reusable and recyclable products and materials and the need for enhanced international collaboration.

Under the agreement, countries are expected to develop, implement and update national action plans reflecting country-driven approaches to contribute to ending plastic pollution.

Why do we need a legally binding agreement against Plastic Pollution?

Plastic production increased from 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 348 million tonnes in 2017, becoming a global industry valued at US$522 billion, and it is expected to double in capacity by 2040. 

The impacts of this plastic production and pollution are a catastrophe in the making. For instance:

– Exposure to plastics can harm human health, potentially affecting fertility, hormonal, metabolic and neurological activity, and the open burning of plastics contributes to air pollution.

– By 2050 greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic production, use and disposal would account for 15 percent of allowed emissions.

– More than 800 marine and coastal species are affected by this pollution through ingestion, entanglement, and other dangers.

Source: This post is based on the article “175 countries commit to forge an internationally binding treaty on plastic pollution by 2024” published in Down To Earth on 3rd March 2022.