Global deal on plastic pollution is urgent: Speakers

Bangladesh is committed to supporting the Global Plastic Treaty in the upcoming United Nations Environment Assembly 5.2, Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin has said.

The minister said this at a virtual policy dialogue organised by Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) on Saturday, reports United News of Bangladesh on Sunday.

The dialogue discussed the issues regarding the Global Plastic Treaty approach in UNEA 5.2.

The minister said, “The Government of Bangladesh participated actively in the previous sessions. We will take part in the upcoming fifth UN Environment Assembly. It will take place in 2022 to discuss the possible head start of negotiations of a global agreement to curb plastic pollution. We are hoping that countries from all over the world will support the requirement for a global agreement, which will lead to the proposal requests an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a new legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. It will be established at UNEA 5.2.”

According to David Azoulay, Geneva Managing Attorney, Director of Environmental Health Program, Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), “Bangladesh Govt needs to focus particularly on waste fishing gear and the cheap plastic use in textile industries for the upcoming negotiation;”

“Solo initiatives cannot combat the global crisis. We must follow how other nations are intervening regarding this matter and work together to achieve a reduction in plastic pollution which will lead us to a global agreement”, said the ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, ITO Naoki.

ESDO chairperson, Syed Marghub Murshed said, “It is really concerning because Bangladesh is one of the most plastic-polluted countries in South Asia. Plastic has a significant environmental impact. All of these facts are well known, but the plastic pollution situation is worsening day by day in Bangladesh. Because it is a worldwide issue, the solution must be global as well.”

According to the United Nations, 127 countries have passed regulations on single-use plastic bags to incentivize consumers to use reusable bags when shopping due to a continuous significant contribution from several international organizations like EIA, CIEL, GAIA, ESDO, BFFP, IPEN, Earthworks, etc.

Moving Forward, an international legally binding agreement that addresses the entire life cycle of plastics, from the extraction of raw materials to legacy plastic pollution is highly required considering the current situation of global plastic pollution, discussants at the dialogue said.