175 Countries Join Hands Against Plastic Pollution

A coalition of 175 nations agreed to write a treaty designed to restrict the growth of plastic pollution, thus rallying to not only improve recycling techniques and clean up plastic waste but to halt plastic production altogether.

“Plastic pollution is a planetary crisis, a threat that affects all of us,” says Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, the Rwandan environment minister. “The real work now begins.” The agreement is inspired by a joint proposal by Peru and Rwanda, highlighting the significance of developing countries’ hardworking efforts in fighting plastic pollution.

The plastic treaty is believed to be the most important since the Paris Agreement on climate change adopted in 2015. Negotiators will meet for the first time this year; they aim at sealing a deal by 2024. The treaty will most likely include a ban on single-use plastics, address microplastics, and recycling techniques, and take into account the full life cycle of plastics — production, disposal, recycling, and reuse — since plastics cause harm at every stage. According to a recent study, they produced 4.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2015.