Plastic is polluting our planet. On average, each year we produce 300 million tons of plastic waste . That’s nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. In recent decades, plastic usage has continued to increase, and in particular, the explosion of single-use plastic is choking our Earth. The plastics we produce, use, and discard, remain long after we are gone – and much of it ends up in toxic landfills, rivers, and our oceans. Yet, our oceans and seas are essential ecosystems that all life depends on. Covering two-thirds of the earth, they play a vital role in carbon sequestration, weather regulation, and are invaluable for protecting and nurturing biodiversity.
Towards a treaty to tackle plastic pollution
In March 2022, we welcomed the news that representatives from 175 nations have agreed to embark upon an ambitious, legally binding treaty to combat plastic waste. The passing of the UN resolution means that work begins this year on setting the rules and the final treaty should be complete by 2024. Sufficed to say, this is the most ground-breaking green deal since the 2015 Paris Climate agreement.
