In a message for World Environment Day, which this year focused on tackling pollution caused by plastic waste, Guterres stressed the importance of stopping the catastrophic consequences of this type of garbage.
He warned that more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced in the world every year, a third of which is used only once, while every day the equivalent of more than two thousand garbage trucks filled with these plastics are dumped in oceans and rivers. and lakes.
The head of the United Nations drew attention to the consequences of this pollution, as “microplastics reach the food, the water we drink and even the air we breathe, and the more plastics are produced, the worse the climate crisis.” We burn more fossil fuels.
In his message, he stressed that solutions are within reach, including a legally binding agreement that is still being implemented, after five days of negotiations involving more than 130 countries last week.
It is, in his view, a promising and demanding first step as a new report from the United Nations Environment Program shows that plastic pollution could be reduced by a staggering 80 percent by 2040, if humanity moves now to reuse and recycle. and abandon them.
Guterres called on governments, businesses and consumers alike to work together to end addiction to these substances, advocate for zero waste and build a true circular economy to shape a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future for all.
It is estimated that each person on the planet consumes more than 50,000 plastic particles per year, and much more if inhalation is factored in.
Meanwhile, single-use plastic that is discarded or incinerated harms human health and biodiversity and pollutes all ecosystems, from mountain tops to the ocean floor.
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