WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: UN WARNS AGAINST DANGERS OF PLASTIC POLLUTION.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned against the dangers of plastic pollution.
UNEP, in a recent report revealed that approximately 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced worldwide each year, with half designed for single-use and only 10% recycled.
UNEP expressed concerns that plastic pollution contaminates the planet, threatening ecosystems, wildlife, and human health, noting that micro plastics are found in food, water, and air, with the average person ingesting over 50,000 plastic particles annually, adding that the situation is dire, with plastic pollution in marine and freshwater environments expected to triple by 2040.
Warning that if the climate crisis goes unaddressed, air pollution levels could rise by 50% within a decade, UNEP revealed that in a bid to combat this, it is leading the 52nd annual World Environment Day on June 5, with the theme: #BeatPlasticPollution.
The event aims to rally momentum for a global treaty to end plastic pollution, and countries are negotiating an international agreement, with the next round of talks scheduled for August.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, and UNEP’s Executive Director, Inger Andersen, have called for an ambitious and just agreement that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals.
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