Posted on September, 02 2021

Eirik Lindebjerg, Global Plastic Policy Manager at WWF International said:

“Today a large majority of states, including  15 new countries, stepped up to turn the tide on plastic pollution endorsing a new UN treaty on plastic pollution, bringing the total number of supportive governments to 119. This could finally start to stem the flow of destruction that plastic pollution is having on the environment and people.

“The rapidly increasing support for a global agreement is a testament to the scale and impact of the plastic crisis  - every year more than 11 million tons of plastic waste is believed to end up in the world’s oceans, having a devastating impact. The broad and growing support for the start of negotiations on a new treaty on marine plastic pollution is a beacon of hope for marine wildlife and coastal communities around the world.”

To address this crisis on a systemic level and reduce the cost that plastic imposes on society, WWF is calling on governments to start the negotiation of a legally binding global treaty on marine plastic pollution at the fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly in February 2022.  

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Notes to editors:

Media contact:

For further information, contact news@wwfint.org.

WWF

WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 30 million followers and a global network active through local leadership in nearly 100 countries. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Visit panda.org/news for the latest news and media resources; follow us on Twitter @WWF_media