Latest news with #UNEnvironmentProgramme
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Health
- Arab News
Only a global pact can stop the threat posed by plastics
No one can contest the fact that plastic and microplastics have been found in Arctic sea ice, the bellies of whales, Earth's atmosphere and oceans, as well as human blood vessels and digestive systems. That is why governments have been for years under increasing pressure to unite in action against this global threat but to no avail. A recent study by The Lancet, a highly respected British medical journal, warned that plastic pollution is a 'grave, growing, and under-recognized danger' to human health that is causing disease and death from infancy to old age, and costing the world at least $1.5 trillion a year in health-related economic losses. The report comparing plastic to air pollution and lead said that the impact on health could be mitigated by laws and policies. But talks this week in Geneva on a global treaty on plastics may well fail — as have the previous five meetings convened by the UN — for lack of consensus between over 180 nations on whether to endorse a pact to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals from the manufacturing process, or to focus only on recycling and treating waste, better recycling, and future technological breakthroughs to decompose plastic harmlessly. One would hope that negotiators would face up to those deep divisions and try to mediate the health and ecological hazards that result from plastic use and disposal worldwide. UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen is optimistic that 'it is possible to leave Geneva with a treaty' despite the diverging interests of nations, industries, and those trying to protect the environment and human health. But in an international system under strain in multiple areas, from wars to environmental and tech issues, it is highly unlikely that delegates will be able to bridge the gap to reach an agreement. Even if they do, realization of a treaty faces many obstacles and hindrances — as witnessed in other situations, from feeding the hungry in Gaza to stopping the war in Ukraine. Despite that, the stakes are high, and if nothing is done, global plastic consumption could triple by 2060, according to OECD projections. Meanwhile, plastic waste in soils and waterways is expected to increase by 50 percent by 2040, according to the UNEP, which is overseeing the talks in Geneva. Many initiatives are offering hope for a better future. Mohamed Chebaro About 460 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which is single-use. And less than 10 percent of plastic waste is recycled. In rich or poor countries, the harm of plastic is still largely unknown, but evidence is mounting that burning plastic in dumps and open fires is a major problem for the planet. A study published last year in the journal Nature and based on research by a team from UK Leeds University identified India as the world's largest emitter of macroplastic pollution. The Leeds researchers created a detailed global inventory of plastic pollution by using AI to assist in modeling waste management in more than 50,000 municipalities. They estimated at least 52 million tonnes of plastic waste entered the environment in 2020, 43 percent as unburned litter, and the remainder through open fires lit in homes, streets, or dumpsites. Improperly burning garbage and leaving plastic to smolder does not make it 'disappear,' but spreads smaller pieces around the environment, worsening air quality and exposing people living nearby to harmful additives, the research found. Against the doomsday backdrop above, many initiatives are offering hope for a better future — from planting trees and rewilding to the commendable work of some municipalities seeking to recycle with zero waste. Yet, in an increasingly fractured international order, the push to establish pacts limiting plastic pollution could be challenging. Governments have been regularly falling short of climate pledges as funding and a willingness to protect the environment give way to geostrategic priorities. Conflicts, displacement, and poverty eradication are also proving intractable problems. Plastic, like many other life hazards, calls for a global approach to tame its harms, and unless strained ties between the superpowers ease, discord will obstruct efforts not only to limit pollution, reduce plastic use, and combat climate change, but also to ensure a secure, sustainable future for all. • Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years' experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy.
Muscat Daily
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Muscat Daily
Oman supports UN effort for treaty on plastic pollution control
Muscat – Oman is participating in high-level United Nations negotiations in Geneva aimed at framing a legally binding global treaty to tackle plastic pollution, including in marine environments. The sultanate's delegation – led by Environment Authority – is attending the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) from August 5 to 14. Involving nearly 180 countries, the talks are being held under the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to develop a treaty to end the plastic pollution crisis. The negotiations are expected to shape a comprehensive agreement that addresses the entire life cycle of plastics, from design and production to disposal. 'The world wants and indeed needs a plastic conventional treaty because the crisis is getting out of hand – and people are frankly outraged,' said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. She noted that plastic pollution has become widespread, affecting oceans, ecosystems and even human health. 'We know that plastic is in our nature, in our oceans and yes, even in our bodies. What is sure is that no one wants to live with the plastic pollution.' A 22-page draft document prepared by the INC, containing 32 articles, will serve as the basis for negotiations. The text outlines measures to promote plastic circularity, prevent leakage into the environment, and regulate production and waste management. 'Some countries will have to deal with reduction, others with mechanical recycling and others with alternatives,' Inger said. 'Let's see how we can get to this through the negotiations. I think there's a lot of good faith in the working group right now.' UNEP has warned that without coordinated global action, plastic waste is projected to triple by 2060, posing significant environmental and public health risks. The Geneva talks represent a critical step towards reaching a final agreement, with countries expected to work through the text article by article. If adopted, the treaty would be the first global legal instrument to comprehensively address plastic pollution.
Gulf Today
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
UN starts new bid to forge plastics treaty amid 'global crisis'
Nations must resolve the global plastics crisis, the head of UN talks told negotiators from 180 countries gathered in Geneva on Tuesday to forge a landmark treaty on eliminating the life-threatening waste. "We are facing a global crisis," Ecuadoran diplomat Luis Vayas Valdivieso said at the start of 10 days of negotiations. "Plastic pollution is damaging ecosystems, polluting our oceans and rivers, threatening biodiversity, harming human health, and unfairly impacting the most vulnerable," he said. "The urgency is real, the evidence is clear, and the responsibility is on us." Three years of negotiations hit the wall in Busan, South Korea in December when oil-producing states blocked a consensus. Key figures steering the negotiations at this new attempt said they were not expecting an easy ride this time, but insisted a deal remained within reach. "There's been extensive diplomacy from Busan till now," UN Environment Programme executive director Inger Andersen told the media. The chairman of the negotiations, Ecuadorian ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso speaks during the plastics treaty negotiations at the United Nations Offices in Geneva on Tuesday. AFP UNEP is hosting the talks, and Andersen said conversations between different regions and interest groups had generated momentum. "Most countries, actually, that I have spoken with have said: 'We're coming to Geneva to strike the deal'. "Will it be easy? No. Will it be straightforward? No. Is there a pathway for a deal? Absolutely." Human bodies riddled Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body. In 2022, countries agreed they would find a way to address the crisis by the end of 2024. However, the supposedly final negotiations on a legally-binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the seas, flopped in Busan. One group of countries sought an ambitious deal to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals. But a clutch of mostly oil-producing nations rejected production limits and wanted to focus on treating waste. Valdivieso insisted that an effective, fair and ambitious agreement was within reach. "Our paths and positions might differ; our destination is the same," he said Monday. "We are all here because we believe in a shared cause: a world free of plastic pollution." 'Plastic-free future' More than 600 non-governmental organisations are in Geneva. NGOs and civil society have access to the discussions tackling the thorniest points, such as banning certain chemicals and capping production. "To solve the plastic pollution crisis, we have to stop making so much plastic," Greenpeace delegation chief Graham Forbes told the media. The group and its allies want a treaty "that cuts plastic production, eliminates toxic chemicals, and provides the financing that's going to be required to transition to a fossil fuel, plastic-free future", he said. "The fossil fuel industry is here in force," he noted, adding: "We cannot let a few countries determine humanity's future when it comes to plastic pollution." Dumped, burned and trashed More than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which is for single-use items. While 15 per cent of plastic waste is collected for recycling, only nine percent is actually recycled. Nearly half, 46 per cent, ends up in landfills, while 17 per cent is incinerated and 22 per cent is mismanaged and becomes litter. Plastic items are seen next to an artwork by Canadian artist and activist Benjamin Von Wong, titled 'The Thinker's Burden', a 6-metre-tall sculptural remix of Rodin's iconic Thinker, created especially for the Plastics Treaty negotiations, on Place des Nations in front of the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday before the second segment of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5.2). AP A report in The Lancet medical journal warned Monday that plastic pollution was a "grave, growing and under-recognised danger" to health, costing the world at least $1.5 trillion a year in health-related economic losses. The new review of existing evidence, conducted by leading health researchers and doctors, compared plastic to air pollution and lead, saying its impact on health could be mitigated by laws and policies. To hammer home the message, a replica outside the UN of Auguste Rodin's famous sculpture "The Thinker" will be slowly submerged in mounting plastic rubbish during the talks. The artwork, entitled "The Thinker's Burden", is being constructed by the Canadian artist and activist Benjamin Von Wong. "If you want to protect health, then we need to think about the toxic chemicals that are entering our environment," he told the media. But Matthew Kastner, spokesman for the American Chemistry Council, said the plastics industry and its products were "vital to public health", notably through medical devices, surgical masks, child safety seats, helmets and pipes delivering clean water. Agence France-Presse
Observer
a day ago
- Politics
- Observer
UN push on treaty to curb spiralling plastic menace
Nations must resolve the global plastics crisis, the head of UN talks told negotiators from 180 countries gathered in Geneva on Tuesday to forge a landmark treaty on eliminating the life-threatening waste. 'We are facing a global crisis,' Ecuadoran diplomat Luis Vayas Valdivieso said at the start of 10 days of negotiations. 'Plastic pollution is damaging ecosystems, polluting our oceans and rivers, threatening biodiversity, harming human health, and unfairly impacting the most vulnerable,' he said. 'The urgency is real, the evidence is clear, and the responsibility is on us.' Three years of negotiations hit the wall in Busan, South Korea in December when oil-producing states blocked a consensus. Key figures steering the negotiations at this new attempt said they were not expecting an easy ride this time, but insisted a deal remained within reach. 'There's been extensive diplomacy from Busan till now,' UN Environment Programme executive director Inger Andersen said. UNEP is hosting the talks, and Andersen said conversations between different regions and interest groups had generated momentum. 'Most countries, actually, that I have spoken with have said: 'We're coming to Geneva to strike the deal'. 'Will it be easy? No. Will it be straightforward? No. Is there a pathway for a deal? Absolutely.' Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body. In 2022, countries agreed they would find a way to address the crisis by the end of 2024. However, the supposedly final negotiations on a legally-binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the seas, flopped in Busan. One group of countries sought an ambitious deal to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals. But a clutch of mostly oil-producing nations rejected production limits and wanted to focus on treating waste. Valdivieso insisted that an effective, fair and ambitious agreement was within reach. 'Our paths and positions might differ; our destination is the same,' he said on Monday. 'We are all here because we believe in a shared cause: a world free of plastic pollution.' More than 600 non-governmental organisations are in Geneva. NGOs and civil society have access to the discussions tackling the thorniest points, such as banning certain chemicals and capping production. 'To solve the plastic pollution crisis, we have to stop making so much plastic,' Greenpeace delegation chief Graham Forbes said. The group and its allies want a treaty 'that cuts plastic production, eliminates toxic chemicals, and provides the financing that's going to be required to transition to a fossil fuel, plastic-free future', he said. 'The fossil fuel industry is here in force,' he noted, adding: 'We cannot let a few countries determine humanity's future when it comes to plastic pollution.' More than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which is for single-use items. While 15 per cent of plastic waste is collected for recycling, only nine per cent is actually recycled. Nearly half, 46 per cent, ends up in landfills, while 17 per cent is incinerated and 22 per cent is mismanaged and becomes litter. But Matthew Kastner, spokesman for the American Chemistry Council, said the plastics industry and its products were 'vital to public health', notably through medical devices, surgical masks, child safety seats, helmets and pipes delivering clean water. — AFP
LeMonde
a day ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
UN talks aim to seal deal on plastic pollution crisis
The 184 countries gathering to forge a landmark treaty on combating plastic pollution were told on Tuesday, August 5, they must find a way to tackle a global crisis wrecking ecosystems and trashing the oceans. States should seize the chance to shape history, the man chairing the talks said as 10 days of negotiations kicked off at the United Nations in Geneva. "We are facing a global crisis," Ecuadoran diplomat Luis Vayas Valdivieso told the more than 1,800 negotiators as they prepared to thrash out their differences in the search for common ground. "Plastic pollution is damaging ecosystems, polluting our oceans and rivers, threatening biodiversity, harming human health, and unfairly impacting the most vulnerable," he said. "The urgency is real, the evidence is clear – and the responsibility is on us." Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body. But after five rounds of talks, three years of negotiations hit the wall in Busan, South Korea, in December when oil-producing states blocked a consensus. Pathway to deal Key figures steering this revived attempt insist a deal is within reach this time around. "There's been extensive diplomacy from Busan till now," the UN Environment Programme's Executive Director Inger Andersen told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Most countries, actually, that I have spoken with have said: 'We're coming to Geneva to strike the deal.' Will it be easy? No. Will it be straightforward? No. Is there a pathway for a deal? Absolutely." More than 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which is for single-use items. While 15 percent of plastic waste is collected for recycling, only nine percent is actually recycled. Nearly half, or 46 percent, ends up in landfills, while 17 percent is incinerated and 22 percent is mismanaged and becomes litter. In 2022, countries agreed they would find a way to address the crisis by the end of 2024. However, the supposedly final negotiations on a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the seas, flopped in Busan. One group of countries sought an ambitious deal to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals. But a clutch of mostly oil-producing nations rejected production limits and wanted to focus on treating waste. Production cap gap A cap on plastic production is one of the thorniest issues being debated in Geneva. Katrin Schneeberger, the director of Switzerland's environment ministry, told the opening press conference: "This is no call for a production cap. Clarifying this in informal meetings was an important message to producing countries." New Le Monde's app Get the most out of your experience: download the app to enjoy Le Monde in English anywhere, anytime Download More than 600 non-governmental organizations are in Geneva, and this time have access to the discussion group meetings. "We have to stop making so much plastic," Greenpeace's delegation chief Graham Forbes told AFP. The group and its allies want a treaty "that cuts plastic production, eliminates toxic chemicals and provides the financing that's going to be required to transition to a fossil fuel, plastic-free future," he said. "The fossil fuel industry is here in force," he noted, adding: "We cannot let a few countries determine humanity's future when it comes to plastic pollution." Panama's delegate Juan Monterrey Gomez – a fellow proponent of an ambitious treaty – voiced optimism that a treaty could be struck on August 14. "The beginning is better than Busan," he said of the start of talks. No country wanting to be held responsible for sinking the negotiations "is probably the biggest trigger we can push," he told AFP.
