A Global Plastic Pollution Agreement has been signed by 175
countries, including India on 2 March, 2022, to deal with hazardous plastic
waste.
Participated countries endorsed a historic resolution
at the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi to
forge an International "Legally Binding Agreement" by 2024 to end
plastic pollution. The resolution addresses the full lifecycle of plastic,
including it's production, design and disposal.
The UN Environment Assembly concluded with 14
significant resolutions to strengthen actions for nature to achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals. The move of having a global plastic treaty by
2024 will help in eliminating single-use plastic from across the globe in due
course of time.
"Today marks a triumph by planet earth over
single-use plastic, it would have been the most important multilateral
environmental deal since the Paris Agreement on climate change in 2015, and
such a deal could be transformational," -said UNEP Executive Director Inger
Andersen.
Delivering her speech for the high-level segment of
the resumed fifth environment Assembly in this Kenyan city, she said -
"I can say without doubt that UNEA 5.2 is the most relevant and important
gathering of this body since its formation.
"Why? Because the triple planetary crisis of
climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste is
threatening to pull the very rug out from under the Sustainable Development
Goals -- and with it whip away our aspirations to end hunger and poverty,
deliver peace and equity, and live in harmony with the natural world."
"As I told negotiators a few days ago, the world
is demanding that we act on plastic pollution. They, the negotiators, have
delivered the first step in this process by agreeing to establish an
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) that will forge a global
agreement on plastic pollution."
"Against the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil,
the UN Environment Assembly shows multilateral cooperation at its best. Plastic
pollution has grown into an epidemic. With today's resolution we are officially
on track for a cure."- said Espen Barth Eide, the President of
UNEA-5 and Norway's Minister for Climate and the Environment.
"Today, no area on the planet is left untouched
by plastic pollution, from deep-sea sediment to Mount Everest. The planet
deserves a multilateral solution that speaks from source to sea. A legally
binding global agreement on plastic pollution will be a truly welcome first
step."- -Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy
Secretary-General of the UN, added.
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| A 30-foot monument dubbed "turn off the plastic tap" by Canadian activist and artist Benjamin von Wong, made with plastic waste collected from Kibera slums, is seen at the venue of the Fifth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, at the United Nations Environment Programme headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya. (File photo: Reuters) |
The resolution, based on three initial draft resolutions from various nations, including Japan, Peru and Rwanda, establishing an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee(INC) which will begin it's work this year, with the ambition of completing a draft global legally binding agreement by te end of 2024.
"Getting the agreement right will kick-start a circular economy that delivers huge benefits"
"A comprehensive circular economy approach could
reduce the volume of plastics entering the oceans by over 80 per cent by 2040.
It could reduce virgin plastic production by 55 per cent. It could save
governments $70 billion by 2040. It could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25
per cent. Create 700,000 additional jobs, mainly in the global south."-
The UNEP chief said.
Additional resolutions and decisions from the Assembly
address the date and venue for UNEA-6, the future of the Global Environment
Outlook (GEO) and the equitable geographical representation and balance in the
secretariat of UNEP.
The three-day UNEA-5.2 in-person and online meeting follows
an online session of UNEA-5 last year. It was attended by 3,400 in-person and
1,500 online participants from 175 UN Member States, including 79 ministers and
17 high-level officials.
The Assembly will be followed by "UNEP@50", a two-day Special Session of the Assembly marking UNEP's 50th anniversary where member states are expected to address how to build a resilient and inclusive post-pandemic world, as well as to endorse a draft Political Declaration.
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| Reports say, by 2050, world oceans will hold more plastic than fish |
UN Environment Assembly concluded in Nairobi took 14 resolutions to strengthen actions for nature,
Three resolutions prioritize ecosystem restoration, biodiversity protection, resource efficiency, consumption and production patterns, climate mitigation and adaptation, job creation and poverty reduction.
A resolution on minerals and metals calls for the
development of proposals to enhance their environmental sustainability along
their full lifecycle.
A resolution on sustainable lake management calls on member
states to protect, conserve, and restore, as well as sustainably use lakes,
while integrating lakes into national and regional development plans.
A resolution on sustainable and resilient infrastructure encourages member states to integrate environmental considerations in all their infrastructure plans.
A concluding Ministerial Declaration recognized the risk for future pandemics and other health risks if humanity doesn't overhaul its patterns of interaction with nature by adopting a holistic approach such as 'One Health'.
In this context, a resolution on animal welfare calls on member states to protect animals, protecting their habitats and meeting their welfare requirements.
Another resolution on biodiversity and health calls on member states to reduce health risks associated with trade in live wildlife captured for the purposes of food, captive breeding, medicines and the pet trade, through regulation and sanitary controls.
The Assembly adopted another resolution to accelerate actions to significantly reduce nitrogen waste from all sources, especially through agricultural practices, and saving $100 billion annually.
India's Stand,
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav is leading the Indian
delegation at the UN Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. He tweeted, "Historic step
at UNEA 5.2. 175 nations endorse a resolution to beat plastic pollution and
forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024. Under leadership of
our PM Narendra Modiji, India has already taken resolute steps to address
plastic pollution."
As of now, India has banned single-use plastic effective from July 1. Recently, the centre has released new guidelines for manufacturers, brand owners, and importers of plastics, making it mandatory for them to recycle and has drawn up a pathway to incorporate the large informal sector involved in plastic recycling in a more formal circular economy.
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