The UN adopts the principle of a treaty against plastic pollution

Man on a mountain of plastic bottles at the Dandora landfill, east of Nairobi.

AP - Ben Curtis

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

In Nairobi, the UN adopted on Wednesday March 2 the principle of a “ 

legally binding

 ” international treaty against plastic pollution, a step forward described as historic in the fight against this scourge which threatens global biodiversity.

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The United Nations Environment Assembly, the highest international body on these subjects, meeting in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, adopted a motion creating an "Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee" responsible for developing a text by 2024. " 

I have no objections, it is so decided

 ," said Norwegian Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide, who chaired the Assembly, to applause.

► To read also: Plastic pollution: "The situation in Kenya is critical", according to Hamisa Zaja

The negotiating mandate covers a very broad spectrum of subjects taking into account “ 

the entire life cycle of plastic

 ”, from production and “

 sustainable 

” use to waste management, reuse or recycling.

It includes land and sea pollution, and both plastics and microplastics, caused by their use or the degradation of waste from these products made from fossil hydrocarbons and responsible according to the OECD for nearly 3.5% of greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming.

Encourage action by all stakeholders

Negotiations should also focus on setting targets and defining measures that may be “ 

binding

 ” or “ 

voluntary

 ” at global level.

The treaty may also provide for national control plans, while taking into account the specific “ 

circumstances

 ” of the different countries.

The mandate also provides for the development of mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of the objectives as well as financing for poor countries.

In Gabon, bottles recovered and transformed into everyday objects

Yves-Laurent Goma

The text further recommends "encouraging action by all stakeholders, including the private sector", in a sector worth billions.

The committee should begin its work in the second half of 2022, after an initial preparatory meeting, with “ 

the ambition to complete its work by the end of 2024

 ”.

Some 460 million tons of plastics were produced in 2019 worldwide, generating 353 million tons of waste, of which less than 10% is currently recycled and 22% is abandoned in uncontrolled landfills, burned in the open air or dumped in the environment, according to the latest OECD estimates.

► On the Dandora landfill site, located east of Nairobi, one of the largest in Africa. 

Most plastics could be recycled if handled correctly.

In Nairobi, the Dandora landfill

Florence Morice

(

With

AFP)

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