WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 5th JUNE 2023

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In 2018 the UN's World Environment Day theme was to Beat Plastic. Five years later in 2023, the plastic menace has grown. It is far worse now, with plastic production and disposal in landfill, rivers, and ultimately the ocean - increasing. So what are our world leaders doing about it? NOTHING.

This level of plastic growth is a clear indication that policies are failing dramatically with our present flock of political sheep, governed by banks - hence, the Bentley and Rolls-Royce stock trading brigade. Jolly Hockey sticks. Nothing wrong with making a profit of course, so long as it is achieved ethically and responsibly. Morals to be applauded; sadly lacking.

The G7 and G20 are to blame. They have consistently turned their backs on potential solutions like SeaVax, out for free lunches, relying on the generosity of beach cleaners, while they stack the ocean full of plastic, displacing fish and other marine life - because of money. But, beach cleaning by armies of volunteers cannot make a significant impact. Big thanks anyway.

Conventional politicians have too much invested in fossil fuels and oil derived polyolefins, to simply ban single use plastic packaging. It is that simple. We don't want Planet Criminals, driven by greed. We need leaders with a sustainable vision. It is that simple. And there are biodegradable/compostable alternatives. Why then are they not used in supermarkets? Because it is not a legal requirement. That is why. We need environmentally aware politicians.

Please vote for a Green politician. A politician with a Green-Blue agenda. Where Blue is the modern Green. Most independents are eco-aware. In the UK, the Liberal Democrats might be persuaded to ban non-compostable plastic, rather more that way inclined than rank and file 'CON'-servatives. Who have been stringing us along on plastic since 2016, as they kiss the backsides of oil giants - including North Sea operators. Leading to a £2.7 trillion debt (trading deficit). $31.4 trillion dollars in the United States. Are they insane!

Money is the root of all evil. Please do not vote for the same old diatribe. The usual suspects will say anything to retain power. But, as Boris Johnson has amply demonstrated, allegedly, he lied through his teeth on many issues, until finally being sacked. He even lied to Queen Elizabeth.

BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION - Tackling ocean plastic is a United Nations agenda for sustainable use of the oceans and conservation of marine life under SDG14. Each World Environment Day is organized around a theme that focuses attention on a particularly pressing environmental concern. The theme for 2018, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” was a call to action for all of us to come together to combat one of the great environmental challenges of our time. The theme invites us all to consider how we can make changes in our everyday lives to reduce the heavy burden of plastic pollution on our natural places, our wildlife – and our own health. While plastic has many valuable uses, we have become over-reliant on single-use or disposable plastic – with severe environmental consequences. Sadly, the call did not work. Mainstream citizens are to busy suffering from the cost of living crisis, than to care about the environment. In any event, they do not have a choice. Because supermarkets keep selling food in single use plastic packaging.

UN Environment is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages 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. UN Environment works with governments, the private sector, civil society and with other UN entities and international organizations across the world.

The World Environment Day is the single largest celebration of our environment each year. Since it began in 1974, it has grown to become a global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated across the globe.

Humans are both creatures and moulders of their environment, which gives them physical sustenance and affords them the opportunity for intellectual, moral, social and spiritual growth. In the long and tortuous evolution of the human race on this planet a stage has been reached when, through the rapid acceleration of science and technology, humans have acquired the power to transform their environment in countless ways and on an unprecedented scale.

The United Nations, aware that the protection and improvement of the human environment is a major issue, which affects the well-being of peoples and economic development throughout the world, designated 5 June as World Environment Day. The celebration of this day provides us with an opportunity to broaden the basis for an enlightened opinion and responsible conduct by individuals, enterprises and communities in preserving and enhancing the environment. Since it began in 1974, it has grown to become a global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated in more than 100 countries.

SPEECH BY INGER ANDERSON

Mr Jean-Luc Assi, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development
Mr Bouake Fofana, Minister for Water and Sanitation
Ms Françoise Remarck, Minister for Culture
Ms Yvette Daoud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Excellencies, Partners, Ladies and gentlemen
Mr Kevin Kariuki, Vice-President of the African Development Bank
Mr Philippe Poinsot, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Côte d'Ivoire

In hosting World Environment Day, Cote d’Ivoire demonstrates a strong commitment to fighting the triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change; the crisis of nature and biodiversity loss; and the crisis of pollution and waste.

Plastic pollution is a deeply concerning strand of the triple planetary crisis.

The world produces more than four hundred million metric tonnes of plastic waste each year. Less than ten per cent of plastic waste ever produced has been recycled. Where does the rest end up? Buried, burned or dumped – often after just one use. In oceans, rivers and lakes. And, increasingly, in the bodies of animals and people. Plastic pollution is a grave threat to ecosystems, to human health and to the climate. Cote d’Ivoire is not immune to plastic pollution.

Friends,

For the sake of the planet’s health, for the sake of our health, for the sake of our prosperity, we must end plastic pollution. This will take nothing less than a complete redesign of how we produce, use, recover and dispose of plastics and products that contain them.

We must redesign products to eliminate or use less plastic – particularly problematic and unnecessary plastics. Redesign product packaging to use less plastic. Redesign systems and products for reuse and recyclability. Redesign the system for justice – so that workers in the informal waste sector and other vulnerable communities have access to decent jobs.

Cote d’Ivoire is fully engaged in this process. Cote d’Ivoire is also acting domestically. As we just heard, Cote d’Ivoire banned single-use plastic bags in 2013 and is one of 15 Economic Community of West African States that agreed to ban plastic packaging by 2025.

But all countries, including Cote d’Ivoire, must pick up the pace. Each year of delay means more plastic waste gushing into the environment.

Governments must deliver a strong and ambitious deal to end plastic pollution. A deal that addresses plastics across the whole lifecycle. A deal that is truly inclusive – engaging informal waste sector workers, Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and academia. A deal that ensures support for developing nations.

Industry and the private sector must engage in the plastic negotiations, but there is no need for them to wait for a deal to act. To take full advantage of the new business models and markets that will emerge, they need to get creative now. Redesign products and packaging to eliminate or use less plastic; to be more easily reusable, to be more easily recyclable and repairable. Investors must back this transition with their capital. And international finance organizations must invest in solid waste management infrastructure.

Friends,

Acting to end plastic pollution is, above all, a major opportunity – particularly for developing countries. If we act with unity of purpose, we can virtually eliminate plastic pollution by 2040. Reduce social, environmental and human health costs. Create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, mainly in developing countries, and new markets and business opportunities.

Everybody wins, provided we ensure a just transition. This just transition is crucial for Cote d’Ivoire, where the waste industry employs 10,000 people and supports up to 20,000 informal jobs. And it is crucial for the rest of this great continent, where decent and sustainable jobs for youth and women can bring prosperity and stability.

How the world produces, consumes and disposes of plastic has created a disaster. But it is one we can end by turning off the tap on plastic pollution. On World Environment Day, I call on everybody to join the global movement. And help us beat plastic pollution, once and for all.

Thank you.

THE RISING PROBLEM OF PLASTIC WASTE IN INDIA

According to projections for 2023, the United States consumes 2.7 times as much plastic yearly as India - at this time. The margin is expected to shrink to 1.6 times in 2033 and to be almost equal by 2053. This suggests that between 2023 and 2053, plastic usage in India could climb by a factor of four.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warns that this will also lead to an increase in trash generation of 4.5 times.

#sustainability #embracezerowaste #wastemanagement #circulareconomy #plasticwaste #biodegradablepackaging #biodegradablefuture #recyclingmatters 

By May 2024, most single use plastic will need to be passing a test which is: 90% biodegradation in 24 months max. (anaerobic test ASTM5511 or Indian equivalent to be confirmed).

• These tests can be carried out at Intertek Mumbai , which is accredited to do so .

• If these single-use plastics do not pass the tests, they cannot be in the market any longer by May 2024.

Did you know that India produces a staggering 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually? The demand for new goods and technology has exponentially increased plastic usage, surpassing the recycling capabilities of our nation. Disturbingly, only 12% of the plastic waste generated in India is currently recycled, while the majority ends up in landfills, waterways, and oceans. A great deal of their own and imported plastic waste is simply dumped into rivers, where it ends up floating in the ocean, slowly becoming toxin laden microplastic pieces.

The impact on our environment is devastating. Landfills are overflowing, water sources are contaminated, and marine life is suffering. However, amidst this crisis, there are biodegradable/compostable alternatives. These groundbreaking developments may cost more that polyolefin derived plastics, but can significantly reduce the long-lasting effects of plastic waste on our planet.

UN LINKS & REFERENCE

http://www.un.org/

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