UNEA-5 Environmental Summit Set To Address Plastic Pollution

Today is the final day of United Nations Environmental Assembly 5 (UNEA-5) in Nairobi. The summit that began on 28th February focused on plastic pollution, and how to solve its effects especially on marine and peoples health and economy.

There is a worrying trend on how much the world is consuming plastic products and disposing the waste. Water bodies such as rivers and lakes have been polluted by plastic waste, which flow to the seas and oceans causing water pollution that endangers marine life.

It is estimated that one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute, while five trillion plastic bags are equally used in the world every year.Today, the world produces 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year.

The world has woken up to the reality thus the #BeatPlasticPollution. There are many things that can be done to manage plastic waste and prevent pollution on water bodies. First, governments can eliminate the plastic products we do not need and which are deemed problematic. For example they can ban the use of plastic bags, or have reusable measures put in place. Governments can run public awareness programmes and encourage change in the way people dispose plastic wastes. Industries can also collect and have technology to recycle plastic waste.

People also play an important role in managing plastic waste. Be responsible and dispose water bottles, straws, plastic bags in a bin or correct area so as to avoid pollution.

Other issues that were discussed during the summit were green recovery and chemical waste management. This highlights the pivotal role nature plays in the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

UNEA-5 will be followed by a special session, called UNEP@50, to be held 3 – 4 March 2022, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).