The conservation issue of ocean plastic is top priority for many of us at the moment, with fascinating programmes like Blue Planet II revealing the stark reality behind manmade plastics making their way into our seas.
Riding the wave of momentum this month (December), the United Nations have pledged to stop plastic waste in our oceans once and for all, with a resolution on marine litter and microplastics being adopted at the Environment Assembly by all 193 member states.
This is a massive step towards ending the planetary crisis. With eight million tonnes of plastic waste currently being dumped into our oceans every year, it’s now more important than ever to achieve cleaner seas.
Countryliving.co.uk spoke to Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment (UNEP), to find out what the new resolution entails, what steps will be taken to end plastic waste, and what we can do as individuals to reduce the impact on our oceans and marine wildlife.
1. How important is this new resolution in stopping ocean plastic waste?
The new resolution is a huge step forward in tackling this issue. I’m convinced that this summit has been a turning point for our oceans, in that the data and the science has been clearly presented. All nations on the planet are now aware of the problem and there is no excuse for not acting.
2. What are the steps being taken to stop the waste?
What we want to see is each member state representative return to their capital and transform this awareness into policy action. That could mean, for example, seeing more countries ban the use of microplastics in cosmetics – something which the UK, for example, is currently considering.
There could be more bans on single-use plastic bags, which is already in force in Kenya and Rwanda, among others. In addition, we need to see companies take responsibility for the full lifecycle of their product packaging, such as plastic bottles. We need to see a carrot and stick approach, rewarding good practice and punishing the polluters.
3. How will these steps be enforced if they are not legally binding?
Enforcement comes down to each individual government and how they choose to legislate. By nature, all resolutions at the UN Environment Assembly are non-binding. However, I don’t necessarily see that as a major problem, even if, in an ideal world, we’d have binding commitments that each member state would readily sign up to.
What we have instead are aspirational targets and a call to action. Again, it’s up to each of the 193 member states to take these back to their capitals and transform them into action.
7 THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE DON’T STOP OCEAN PLASTICS NOW
1. If we kill the oceans, we kill ourselves as plastic will enter our food supplies.
2. By the middle of the century there may well be more plastic in the ocean than fish.
3. We’ll be eating bits of plastic with our fish and chips.
4. There will be an ocean Armageddon, a mass loss of life in the seas or at best a major source of food being riddled with plastic.
5. We’ll be sitting on the beach amidst rubbish washed up on the sand.
6. Swimming in waters that are increasingly devoid of life.
7. Nowhere will be clean of plastic.
4. How important it is for us to stop ocean plastic waste, which has been labelled a ‘planetary crisis’?
Simply put, if we kill the oceans we kill ourselves. Hundreds of millions of people around the world are dependent on our oceans for their livelihoods, and there is clear evidence of the link between plastic pollution and damage to hundreds of marine species. What we are faced with is an ocean Armageddon, a mass loss of life in the seas or at best a major source of food being riddled with plastic that ends up in our own food chain. It has to stop.
5. When does the UN predict plastic waste will stop entering the ocean?
The resolution that was adopted calls for a significant reduction by 2025. Ultimately, however, we need to get to zero plastic waste entering the oceans. That needs to be sooner rather than later.
6. How can people on a local scale help?
Citizen action is absolutely critical. People exercise enormous power as consumers. This can be done by taking care to recycle, or choosing to avoid single-use plastics in the first place. People also need to speak out: to encourage politicians to act, to get supermarkets to change their product lines, and so on. If everyone on the planet did this, the problem would be solved very quickly.
Let me be clear on one thing: plastics are not the problem, it’s what we do with them. Plastics and polymers are also crucial building blocks of a green economy – for example in solar panels, wind turbines or lighter weight chassis materials that increase the energy efficiency of many types of vehicles. Even at the most basic level, things like plastic containers in the kitchen can cut down food waste.
7. Which are the best countries in the world for tackling this plastic crisis and how can we learn from them?
In many parts of Europe, recycling rates are very high. Kenya recently banned single-use plastic bags, while the levy in the UK has cut down their use significantly. Canada is also moving towards a ban on microplastics in cosmetics. So there are plenty of actions and policies around the world to draw from for good examples.
