100 signatures reached
To: Presidente of United Nations Environment Assembly: Ms. Sanjaasuren Oyun
Global Plastic Treaty Now!
The threat is real. Words cannot describe the reality we are living. The pictures will tell you enough about plastic pollution, but the best thing to do is to go there and see for yourself. The world is in danger; we must act now with a global plastic treaty.
We need to quickly move away from unnecessary plastic packaging and support the development of refill and reuse systems on a global scale. We need a treaty that includes the entire life cycle of plastic, which focuses on reducing the use of plastic. If we do not mitigate the impact of single-use plastic on climate, environmental justice and human health will be severely affected. Anything less will be a missed opportunity.
H2oGabon - Fondation Internationale pour le développement l'Education l'Entrepreneuriat et la Protection de l'Environnement - Clean Service - Réseau d'Actions sur le Droit et le Développement and many environmentalists
Why is this important?
Plastic pollution is a global threat, hurts land and oceans, and profoundly impacts all marine life. Today, 693 marine species are in harm's way by plastic pollution.
Plastic waste, which is now omnipresent in the environment, is the result of human activity, which has been active since 1950. Today, we produce 200 times more plastic than we did 70 years ago, and 8 million tons of single-use plastic waste are poured into the ocean.
99% (Ninety-nine per cent) of plastic is the product of chemicals derived from unsuitable, non-renewable sources. Most plastics never really disappear. Instead, they break down into micro-particles that end up being swallowed by fish or farm animals and eventually consumed by humans through their food and tap water. Nevertheless, plastic pollution has grown in popularity, increasing more than 22-fold over the past 50 years. By 2050, the plastics industry could account for 20% of the world's total oil consumption. Plastic pollution could also account for 13% of the global carbon budget.
Gall, S. C., & Thompson, R. C. (2015). The impact of debris on marine life.
Marine pollution bulletin, 92(1-2), 170-179.