Kenyans march against plastic pollution
Environmental protection activists in Kenya have demanded government action on plastic production in the East African country ahead of the global plastics treaty negotiations.
On Saturday in the capital Nairobi, several campaigners wielded placards bearing environmental protection slogans and demands.
Nairobi marks the first deliberation on a draft treaty released in September, after two previous global plastics treaty negotiations.
Officials from over 170 countries are expected to meet in Nairobi to negotiate a long-lasting and binding global treaty to eradicate plastic pollution.
Last year, 175 nations reached a consensus to conclude a pioneering United Nations treaty by 2024, aimed at combating the pervasive issue of plastics, evident across diverse environments such as mountaintops, ocean depths, and even present in human blood and breast milk, the UN reported.
The production of plastic worldwide has surpassed a twofold increase since the beginning of the century, reaching 460 million tons. If no action is taken, there is a possibility that this figure could triple by 2060. Presently, only nine per cent of this plastic is being recycled, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address the escalating challenges posed by plastic waste, OECD reported.
