Survey on Resolution on Plastic Pollution

The main toxic and harmful gas that is emitted from those burnt plastics is Carbon dioxide. There is a way to dispose of the gas by applying the Carbon capture and storage (CCS) method. Moreover, when plastics enter the water bodies, they harm the entire aquatic life, from sea turtles to coral reefs. About 60-80% of the marine litter contains plastic. It is actually a threat to marine habitats and living creatures there.

At the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly, 175 countries have adopted the Resolution process on Plastic Pollution. The session was organised from February 28 2022 to March 2 in Nairobi. The resumed session of the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) discussed a three-step process for the draft resolutions to address plastic pollution. India submitted one of the draft resolutions under consideration. The draft called for immediate collective voluntary action by the other countries.

Countries wh0 Adopted Resolutions:

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) aims to create an international, legally strong agreement that includes the manufacturing, design and disposal of plastic. One hundred seventy-five countries are moving forward, aiming for goodwill for the whole civilization. According to the sources, that agreement is going to be drafted by the end of 2024. Hopefully, it will include the alternative plans of single-use plastics, such as designing reusable and recyclable materials, minimising the carbon emission, improving collaboration to access better technology, and building a good capacity and scientific collaboration.

Under the resolution draft, the Member countries were called to carry forward and step-up actions and adopt deliberate measures to fight against plastic pollution. They will be taking steps including measures related to sustainable production and consumption, which may include circular financial approaches. These should be followed under the developing and equipping national action ideas while observing international action and steps under respective national regulatory frameworks. On the other hand, the plans must be initiated on a voluntary basis to provide unique information based on statistics on environmentally sound management of plastic waste, as well as keeping in mind their national circumstances.

According to UNEA, these Plans can be Included in the Draft-

•     Controlling plastic waste entering the oceans and reducing it by 80% by 2040. Recently every year, about 11 million metric tons of plastic flow into the ocean
•     Reduce one-time usable plastic production by 55%
•     Save governments $70 billion by the year 2040
•     Create more than 700,000 jobs, entirely in the global South
•     Employing the Carbon capture and storage system at this high time
•     Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by almost 25%.

The resolution requests the Executive Director to convoke unity in conjunction with the introductory session of the intergovernmental dealing committee. That will be building upon existing initiatives, where suitable, that are open to every stakeholder to interchange the information and activities related to plastic pollution.

India’s effort at home:

• Previously, India had tried to induce a resolution on addressing single-use plastic product pollution in the fourth  held in 2019, bringing global focus on the particular issue. India has embarked on the journey to end plastic pollution by taking sound and effective measures through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on plastic packaging and holding a ban on single-use plastic accessories having low usage and high littering potential
• India also took a step of not charging the intergovernmental negotiating committee with the development of targets, methods, definitions, and facts, at this stage, pre-judging the outcome of the perception of the committee. The provision for quick collective voluntary actions by the countries was also included to address plastic pollution on an emergency and lengthy basis
• The Government of India is fixing a target towards phasing out single-use plastics by 2022. In fact, avoiding plastic burning and Carbon capture and storage system for the already burnt plastics has already been initiated. The Central government had remarkably notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, in August 2021. It prohibits the production, stocking, import, sale, distribution, and use of a large amount of single-use plastic items from July 1, 2022. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change banned the use of plastic carry bags below 50 microns under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. Several states and UTs have banned identified single-use plastic items too. The main target is to reduce the process of carbon emission
• Almost more than 800 marine and coastal living creatures are already affected by this pollution through consumption, complications, and other dangers. The way 11 million tonnes of plastic waste flow each year into the ocean could triple by 2040
• The UN agency said the effects of plastic production and pollution on the triple planetary exigency of climate change, nature loss and pollution are a disaster. In the making with exposure, the plastics are harming human health, and potentially affecting fertility, neurological, metabolic and hormonal activity, while open burning of plastics contributes its worst effect to air pollution

Conclusion

However, no area of the planet is left untouched by plastic pollution, from the marine layer to the top of the mountain. Mainly Carbon dioxide is the culprit behind the maximum issues. The United Nations Environment Assembly committee thinks that it is a question of existence for the entire humankind. So, it will never be possible to get back this valuable time to save mother nature. Governments all around the world are heading towards taking good initiatives against the heavy usage of plastics. It can be controlled manually by following the Carbon capture and storage system precisely. Actually, the planet deserves a true solution for the rest periods. It needs to be taken care of with utmost priority.