Wazzup Pilipinas!?
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Landmark global treaty will establish a
level playing field, remove trade barriers that can pave the way for stronger
legislation and implementation against plastic pollution, according to ten
countries in Asia
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Asian countries lead in plastic
pollution and are critical to ensure the adoption of a negotiation mandate at
UN Environment Assembly's upcoming session in February 2022
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore today
released its report ‘A New Treaty on Plastic Pollution: Perspectives from Asia’
that shows how a new global treaty on marine plastic pollution will benefit
people, ecosystems and economies in the region, offering viable solutions for
Asian countries to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis which is having
pernicious impacts on the region.
The
report highlights that an international framework, by establishing a level
playing field and removing trade barriers, would enable Asian countries to
better implement solutions such as adopting national reduction targets,
introducing legislation to phase out single-use plastic products and
implementing extended producer responsibility schemes.
The report, based on consultations with governments in ten
countries in the region, further reveals how countries across Asia,
particularly developing countries, can benefit from a new global treaty through
improved access to financial resources, technical assistance, access to
know-how on plastic waste management, and knowledge sharing on the
methodologies for monitoring and reporting.
“Marine plastic pollution remains high despite regional efforts to
address the issue. A global treaty could overcome Asia’s challenges such as a
lack of data along the plastics life-cycle, knowledge gaps, insufficient
monitoring, ineffective plastic waste management and lack of access to
financial resources and technology. With the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA5.2)
taking place in 2022, it is critical for Asian countries to actively engage in
the international debate and ensure the adoption of a negotiation mandate at
UNEA 5.2”, says Dr Alison Budden, Senior Policy Advisor at WWF-Singapore.
The world currently produces more than 200 million tonnes of
plastic annually, with 41% of plastic waste being mismanaged as countries burn
or dump their plastic trash into the environment. The top five countries that
dump the most plastic in the ocean are from Asia and their share is more than
half of the world’s marine plastic waste pollution.
Failure to understand and remediate the true cost of plastic will
result in plastic production doubling and plastic pollution tripling
by 2040.
Support is growing for a global treaty on plastic pollution with
several Asian countries such as Japan, Maldives, Philippines, Singapore, South
Korea, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam already endorsing the need for the
establishment of a new UN treaty on plastic pollution to be negotiated at the
fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly in February 2022.
They join more than two thirds of UN member states, over 75
businesses and 2.1
million people who have called for the same.
"Tragically, Asia as a region is severely impacted by the
plastic crisis but has an important role in the global plastic pollution
crisis. While some countries across the region are still developing their
position regarding a necessary global response, the report signals that many
are converging on collective efforts to tackle the plastic pollution crisis,
with increasing support for a new global agreement to drive innovations and
systemic change throughout the life cycle of plastics," says
Marilyn Quizon-Mercado, Regional Plastic Policy Coordinator for a
WWF-Philippines-hosted initiative, ‘Asia, No Plastic in Nature’.
WWF calls on all governments to come together and endorse a
globally binding agreement on plastic pollution.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
