G20 agrees to tackle ocean plastic waste

KARUIZAWA:Group of 20 environment ministers agreed on Sunday to adopt a new implementation framework for actions to tackle the issue of marine plastic waste on a global scale the Japanese government said after hosting the twoday ministerial meeting

Updated At : 01:48 PM Jun 17, 2019 IST

Plastic pollution has become a global concern, particularly after bans imposed by China and other nations on the import of plastic waste from overseas.

KARUIZAWA, June 16

Group of 20 environment ministers agreed on Sunday to adopt a new implementation framework for actions to tackle the issue of marine plastic waste on a global scale, the Japanese government said after hosting the two-day ministerial meeting.

Environment and energy ministers of the Group of 20 major economies met this weekend in Karuizawa ahead of the G20 summit in Osaka, western Japan, on June 28-29.

One of the top issues was ocean plastic waste as images of plastic debris-strewn beaches and dead animals with stomachs full of plastic have sparked outrage, with many countries banning plastic bags outright.

The new framework is aimed at facilitating further concrete action on marine waste, though on a voluntary basis, after the G20 Hamburg Summit in Germany adopted the “G20 action plan on marine litter” in 2017.

Under the new framework, G20 members will promote a comprehensive life-cycle approach to prevent and reduce plastic litter discharge to the oceans through various measures and international cooperation. They will also share best practices, promote innovation and boost scientific monitoring and analytical methodologies. — Reuters