Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
27 November 2024 | 17:15 CAT
2 min read

Global efforts to tackle the plastic pollution crisis are underway in South Korea, where negotiators are grappling with critical issues, including setting legal limits on plastic production. In an interview with Radio Islam, Zaynab Sadan, WWF’s Global Plastics Policy Lead based in South Africa, shed light on the ongoing talks and the urgent need for a legally binding international treaty to combat plastic waste.

Sadan highlights that global plastic production has surged dramatically, doubling over the past 20 years, with projections indicating it could double again by 2040. “Plastic pollution leaking into our marine environment, into our oceans will triple by 2040, these numbers are quite large and alarming. Plastic pollution as we produce and consume in the ways we are doing it will continue to leak into the environment and continues to cause fatalities to marine species and land species,” she said.

Researchers are beginning to explore the impact of plastic pollution on human health, emphasising the urgency of addressing this escalating global crisis. She explained that plastic production, primarily derived from fossil fuels, often originates in one country but is exported, manufactured, and traded worldwide. Additionally, plastic waste and pollution travel across oceans and transboundary rivers, underscoring the need for a unified global solution to tackle this pervasive issue.

She noted that this week, governments convened in South Korea for the fifth and final round of negotiations to finalise a treaty text aimed at establishing a global framework to address the plastic crisis and mitigate its devastating impact. “This is important and WWF is calling for a treaty that has legally binding global rules that all countries abide by to regulate the production and consumption of plastics across the life cycle,” she said.

She outlined four critical elements WWF is advocating for in the treaty:

1. Global bans on the most harmful plastic products and chemicals of concern.
2. Product design standards to ensure all plastics introduced to the market are safe for recycling and reuse.
3. Resource mobilisation to support countries in implementing these measures, ensuring public funds do not exacerbate the crisis.
4. Future-proof mechanisms to adapt and strengthen the treaty over time, benefiting both current and future generations.

She noted that many countries have significant national interests tied to the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries, posing challenges to reaching a consensus. “We are seeing some resistance form these countries but there is a majority calling for constructive progress in this negotiations. Meaning majority of countries should go ahead and act decisively with leadership in order to push through a robust and effective agreement by the end of this week,” she said.

Sadan stated that we have until Sunday to secure a treaty that prioritises both people and nature, aiming to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Zaynab Sadan, WWF’s Global Plastics Policy Lead based in South Africa, here.