NAIROBI, Kenya (AP). The United Nations countries have agreed on a legally binding global treaty to address the problem of plastic pollution in the planet’s oceans and rivers.
The U.N. The U.N. Environment Assembly voted Wednesday unanimously in Nairobi for a resolution on plastic pollution.
It sets the stage to international negotiations in order to reach a treaty before 2024.
Today, we are the historians. Plastic pollution has become an epidemic,” stated Espen Barth Eide (Norway’s minister for environment, climate and president of the assembly). Today’s resolution officially marks the beginning of a cure.
After a week of discussion, negotiators created proposals by Peru and Rwanda, as well as others from India and Japan, into a framework to promote a global approach for reducing plastic pollution, including marine litter,
The entire lifecycle of plastics would be covered by the treaty, including design, production, and disposal.
Inger Andersen is the U.N. executive director. Environment Program spoke at a news conference. Anderson called Anderson’s endorsement of 175 member countries the largest global environmental governance decision made since the Paris (Climate) Agreement.
According to a Pew study, the global market for plastic is worth $522.6 billion. 11 million metric tonnes of plastic end up in oceans each year.
Greenpeace, an environmental group, stated that the U.N. panel’s decision is a bold step to eliminate plastic pollution.
Greenpeace USA’s global lead for plastics, Graham Forbes, stated that the organization and its comrades will continue pushing for a world with no plastic pollution, clean air, and stable climate until a strong global treaty has been signed.
This is a huge step that will keep the pressure on oil companies and big brands for reducing their plastic footprint and switching to refill and reuse business models. Forbes said.
___
Associated Press’s coverage of climate and environment receives support from several private foundations. Learn more about the AP’s climate initiative. All content is the sole responsibility of the AP.