With the growing scientific evidence on the presence of plastic particles in the stomachs of marine organisms, UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa announced that the Organization will start emphasizing its strong support for the global campaign to dispose of single-use plastic containers by banning their use throughout UN agencies across the world.
Espinosa was flanked by the Prime Minister of the State of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, and Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations Mari Skare, in New York, when she announced the launch of the Global Campaign Against Plastic Pollution, organized in cooperation with a group of friends led by Antigua and Barbuda, as well as the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and other relevant parties.
She noted that initiatives have already kicked off at the UN offices in Nairobi and Geneva to eliminate the single-use plastic packaging, but she intends to work through her office to apply it at all UN bases around the world.
According to UN agencies and global researches, most of the disposable plastic around the world ends up deep in the ocean. "The plastic amount ranges between 8 and 12 million tons. Statistics indicate that by 2050, the amount of plastic will be greater than that of fish in the sea," Espinosa said.
Browne highlighted his country's keenness to play a leading role in the world through the campaign aiming to raise awareness on the impact of plastic pollution on human and environmental health.
He explained that his country has "banned many harmful uses of plastic,” encouraging all countries to benefit from Antigua's experience.
For her part, Skare, said: "We, as an oceanic country, understand this problem in our country, and we realize that plastic wastes are polluting our oceans, which causes a health problem for oceans and humans. There are possible solutions for this problem, making Norway a key supporter of the global campaign backed by the United Nations."
