Environment

Vietnam strives to become regional pioneer in reducing ocean plastic waste

Vietnam is striving to become a regional pioneer in reducing ocean plastic waste, heard a recent virtual meeting of environmental officials of Vietnam, Germany, Ecuador and Ghana.
Vietnam strives to become regional pioneer in reducing ocean plastic waste ảnh 1An aerial view of Cat Ba island (Photo: VNA)
Berlin (VNA) -Vietnam is striving to become a regional pioneer in reducing ocean plasticwaste, heard a recent virtual meeting of environmental officials of Vietnam,Germany, Ecuador and Ghana.

At the event, theydiscussed the holding of a Ministerial Conference set for September to reach aglobal strategy to end marine litter and plastic pollution, with an aim to ensuringa future with clean seas.

Ta Dinh Thi, DirectorGeneral of the Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI) under theMinistry of Natural Resources and Environment, underlined that the time is nowfor countries to come together to develop a cohesive global framework - withclear milestones, stakeholder roles and responsibilities and progressindicators - to tackle transboundary marine litter and plastic pollutionissues.

“South-East Asia is ina unique position with a significant role to play here, and a new globalagreement will provide the essential boost to our regional and national actionsagainst the global plastic crisis," he added.

Vietnam has adopted adevelopment strategy to promote the maritime economy in parallel withprotecting maritime environment and ecosystems, specifying "Preventing,controlling and significantly mitigating marine environmental pollution; beinga regional pioneer in reducing ocean plastic waste" amongst the country’sobjectives for 2030.

Inger Andersen, ExecutiveDirector of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), called fortransformational action now to put the brakes on plastic pollution.

She affirmed that the UNEPstands ready to support member states' discussions towards stronger globalaction on single-use plastics, while urging them and other stakeholders tostart the work of eliminating single-use plastics where possible.

According to theorganisers, a global agreement is needed to build consensus on the threat ofmarine litter, in a bid to unlock funding and provide the framework and impetusfor action and change at local, national, regional and international levels.

More than 120countries have some sort of legislation in place to regulate or ban the use ofsingle-use plastics, heard the meeting.

In Africa, 34 of 54nations have instituted bans on single-use plastics, while the European Unionhas also introduced a single-use plastics ban as well as an export ban onunsorted plastic waste.

However, the flow ofplastic into the ocean continues, and is projected to nearly triple by 2040./.
VNA
#ocean plastic waste #marine litter #plastic pollution #maritime economy #single-use plastics #vietnamplus #vietnam news agency
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