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Plastic pollution is out of control. Fueled by unsustainable production and consumption, the rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution have created a serious environmental problem on a global scale, putting the world’s health and economic and social well-being at risk.
Governments, industry, and individuals must embrace a circular approach that considers the full life cycle of plastics, from production, to consumption, to waste management. This means that when plastic is introduced into the economy, it remains there, while harmful, avoidable, and unnecessary plastics are eliminated and substituted with sustainable options and practices.
The #BeatPlasticPollution calls for a stronger, more agile, innovative, and forward-looking presence to engage governments, industry, and individuals in making deliberate changes and choices across the plastic value chain to eliminate the use of unnecessary, avoidable, and problematic plastic products.
To address this systemic challenge, the following actions need to be ambitiously applied and integrated:
A system change is necessary to address the full life cycle of plastics. From extracting raw materials to designing new sustainable alternatives, to improving collection and waste management infrastructure, innovative thinking is essential in eliminating unnecessary, avoidable or problematic products.
Current commitments by governments and industry will only reduce the annual volume of plastic flowing into the ocean by about 7% by 2040. It is important that national and local governments commit to urgent and ambitious actions across the plastic life cycle and support upstream solutions. Government institutions can take action by:
Investors can play a key role in mobilizing finance and setting standards for businesses and industries to move away from harmful plastic production toward circular economies on plastics. Businesses and investors can take action by:
Investors can play a key role in mobilizing finance and setting standards for businesses and industries to move away from harmful plastic production toward circular economies on plastics. Businesses and investors can take action by:
Individual and community actions underpin the systemic change required to transition to a less plastic-dependent economy. Some actions individuals can take include:
Beat Pollution aims to build and nurture a larger narrative on a pollution-free planet that weaves interrelated aspects of climate and nature and connects different forms of pollution to the larger issue of pollution and waste. The goal is to optimize human health and environmental outcomes through enhanced capacity and leadership in the sound management of chemicals and waste and increasing circular processes.
© UNEP