First global commitment to curb single-use plastics
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Nations have agreed to significantly curb items such as plastic bags and straws by 2030. But environmental groups warned that the measures do not go far enough, with the US reportedly blocking efforts for more radical action.
United Nations member states agreed to significantly reduce single-use plastics after marathon talks with nearly 200 ministers at the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Nations pledged to significantly reducing single-use plastic products by 2030 according to the summit’s final statement. The move will seek to curb the use of single-use plastic products such as bags, cups, cutlery and drinking straws.
The final statement was issued on a day that saw thousands of students taking part in protests to urge world leaders to take action to combat climate change.
More than 4,700 delegates – including environment ministers, scientists and business figures – took part in the meeting.
Although Friday’s agreement marks the first global commitment to curb plastics, environmentalist groups said the pledges do not go far enough to urgently address the growing pollution crisis that is threatening the world.
The final text of the document was also significantly weakened by the United States, according to negotiators.
Most nations, including the European Union members, backed a proposal by India that would have seen governments commit to phasing out most problematic single-use plastics by 2025. But Siim Kiisler, UN assembly president, remarked that it’s hard to find one solution for all member states.
Some 500 billion disposable plastic bags are used worldwide each year, while one million plastic drink bottles are purchased every minute, the UN said.
Some 8 million tons (8.8 million US tons) of plastic leak into the ocean every year, threatening marine life and smothering reefs.
