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Add to Preferred SourcesThe President of the UN General Assembly launched a new global call to action to help end the scourge of plastic pollution in the ocean.
Maria Fernanda Espinosa told journalists at UN Headquarters in New York, that her Campaign Against Plastic Pollution – a priority during her year in office – will hold both consumers and decision-makers accountable, urging the phasing out of single-use plastics such as water bottles, and raising awareness of the impact plastic pollution has on human and environmental health.
“It is estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. Microplastics are now confirmed in table salt, in fresh water, each person on the planet is believed to have plastic in their bodies,” she cited in her statement
According to the UN’s climate agency, UN environment (UNEP), more than eight million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean annually; that’s equal to dumping one garbage truck of plastic per minute, at a cost of around $8 billion, in damage to marine ecosystems.
The Assembly President said the campaign is comprised of two elements: global advocacy, and internal initiatives to reduce plastics use within the UN.
This is not the first time the UN has put the scourge of alarming plastic debris at the head of its priorities. In 2010 the “Greening the Blue” campaign was launched to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability throughout the UN system and encourage staff members to reduce, reuse and recycle.
During this year’s high-level week of the General Assembly, UNEP launched the Global Plastics Platform, a network to foster commitments to reduce plastic pollution by exploring innovative designs and methods of consumption and disposal of plastics around the world.
Original source: UN News
Published on 4 December 2018