My sincere thanks to President Macron for convening this important conference and to you Minister Pompili, Minister for Ecological Transition for France for this session. And of course, my appreciation to Minister Espen Barth Eide, President of UNEA and Minister of Climate and Environment for Norway and to Commissioner Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Ocean and Fisheries for their leadership.
Our world, in particular our blue world, is awash in plastic pollution. From the deepest ocean trench to the highest mountain, from the tiniest speck of microplastic to the chunkiest bottle, plastic pollution is a growing menace.
We are here because of a dysfunctional economic system that manufactures products from a versatile and durable material, only to quickly throw them away – as though this disposal has zero cost. But there is a cost, to the whole of society and the environment. The cost of waste collection, health impacts, loss of natural capital and loss of plastics value amounts to trillions of dollars.
To free our world from this pollution, we need to keep plastics circulating in the economy, where they bring value, not on ocean currents, where they bring harm. A systemic transformation would create a booming circular plastics economy. We could reduce the volume of plastics entering our oceans by over 80 per cent by 2040. Lower virgin plastic production by 55 per cent. Cut reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent and create 700,000 additional jobs, mainly in the global south.
Colleagues, these benefits are why UNEP backs the circular economy, through the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and other initiatives. The Global Commitment specifies concrete actions for each member of the plastics value chain. This is essential. But governments set the rules of the game, so their role is central. As such, governments can take three key actions:
One, eliminate plastic products that are problematic or unnecessary. For example, through bans coupled with encouragement of sustainable alternatives.
Two, promote innovation. This includes making reuse systems the norm rather and promoting the use of recycled content in new products.
Three, ensure we circulate materials for as long as possible. This is about ensuring waste collection and material recycling infrastructure is in place, with financing mechanisms that ensure its sustainability.
Colleagues, momentum is growing. Through the Global Commitment and through backing for a global agreement to tackle plastic pollution – which is on the table at the fifth meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5).
Since September 2021, over 150 countries have expressed an interest in negotiating a global agreement. 83 leading businesses have urged them to do so. Again, momentum. But such an agreement would have to be ambitious and fast-track action to address the impact of plastics, on land and at sea, across the entire lifecycle.
Colleagues, as we wait for this agreement, the Global Commitment is critical to urgent action on plastic pollution. My thanks to Minister Barbara Pompili and France for helping to bring additional governments onboard to the Global Commitment during the One Ocean Summit. We need every single government, national and regional. We need every business and investor. We need the UN, civil society and, of course, individual action.
Like many human inventions, plastics are not inherently bad. It is how we misuse them that causes problems. So, through the Global Commitment, and through any negotiated agreement, let’s make sure we use them right.
Thank you.
