On the occasion of World Environment Day on June 5, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the world to take action to reduce plastic waste.
In a video message, broadcast at an event to celebrate World Environment Day at the United Nations headquarters in New York (USA), Secretary-General Guterres highlighted the fact that more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide each year. the world and more than 30% of this plastic is used only once. Every day, more than 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the oceans, rivers and lakes calls for action for a plastic-free future.
According to the UN Secretary-General, the consequences of plastic waste pollution on human lives are “truly catastrophic.” “Microplastics are in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Plastics are made from fossil fuels. The more plastic we produce, the more fossil fuels we burn, and the worse we make the climate crisis.” However, the UN chief also stressed that every problem has a solution.
In this year’s World Environment Day message, titled “Beating Plastic Pollution,” Secretary-General Guterres said that the world’s start to negotiate a legally binding multilateral agreement to end plastic pollution is a promising first step, but also requires all countries to jointly act. In fact, the second round of international negotiations on this issue (of the five planned) ended on June 2 in Paris, but no breakthrough has been made. General Secretary Guterres said: “We all, including governments, and consumers, must act to end plastic addiction, advocate a waste-free lifestyle and build a truly circular economy. Together, let’s shape a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future for all.”
A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme also shows that the world could reduce plastic pollution by 80% by 2040 if action is taken now, by reusing, recycling, redirecting and diversifying to eliminate plastic.
by Lan Phuong (TTXVN)
