A New Plastic Pollution Treaty on the Way?
The WWF have recently started a petition, in advance of the November 2023 Nairobi in relation to the third round of negotiations for a global treaty to end plastic pollution. For a link to sign the petition please see bottom of page.
But this got me thinking, has this kind of thing been attempted before, and did it work. Listed below are some historical efforts to tackle plastics pollution globally.
List of efforts to tackle plastics pollution globally
Here are some historical efforts to tackle plastics pollution globally:
- 1972: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is established, with a mandate to address global environmental issues, including plastic pollution.
- 1987: The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal is adopted. This convention regulates the movement and disposal of hazardous wastes, including plastic waste.
- 1992: The Rio Earth Summit is held, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is adopted. The UNFCCC is the first international treaty to address climate change, and it includes a commitment to reduce pollution from all sources, including plastics.
- 1995: The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA) is adopted. The GPA is a comprehensive program to address marine pollution, including plastic pollution.
- 2002: The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is adopted. This convention regulates the production, use, and disposal of persistent organic pollutants, including some types of plastics.
- 2005: The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopts the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). This convention regulates pollution from ships, including plastic pollution.
- 2015: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are adopted by the United Nations. SDG 14 includes a target to “significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, including marine debris and plastic pollution, in particular, by taking measures to prevent, reduce and recycle.”
- 2019: The G7 leaders commit to reducing plastic pollution in the oceans to zero by 2050.
- 2022: The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) launches the Global Plastics Treaty to address the full lifecycle of plastics, from production to disposal.
These are just a few examples of the historical efforts to tackle plastics pollution globally. There is a growing recognition of the need to address this issue, and there is a growing momentum to take action. The Global Plastics Treaty is a significant step forward, and it is hoped that it will lead to a more coordinated and effective global effort to reduce plastic pollution.
Support the WWF petition on the Plastic Pollution Global Treaty.
Conclusions
It has been over 60 years since plastic pollution first popped up on the legislative radar. And the problem is still getting worse. Take grassroots action to help clean up the mess.