Topics Covered:
- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW)
What to study?
For Prelims and Mains: the alliance- rationale behind, significance, the menace of plastic waste.
Context: An alliance of global companies has launched a new organisation- AEPW- to help eliminate plastic waste, especially in the ocean.
About the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW):
The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), comprising about 30 companies, pledged over $1 billion to eliminate plastic waste across the world. They aim to invest $1.5 billion over the next five years for the same.
The alliance is designed as a non-profit organization. It includes companies from across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa as well as the Middle East are part of the Alliance.
The aim is to develop solutions to mitigate plastic pollution and promote a circular economy by utilising used plastics.
Member companies include those that make, use, sell, process, collect and recycle plastics, as well as chemical and plastic manufacturers, consumer goods companies, retailers, converters, and waste management companies, also called the plastics value chain. From India, Reliance Industries will advance efforts towards a sustainable future.
Significance:
Plastic waste management is a complex and serious global challenge that calls for swift action and strong leadership. The issue of plastic waste is seen and felt all over the world. It must be addressed. This new alliance is the most comprehensive effort to date to end plastic waste in the environment.
Way ahead:
Success will require collaboration and coordinated efforts across many sectors – some that create near-term progress and others that require major investments with longer timelines.
Addressing plastic waste in the environment and developing a circular economy of plastics requires the participation of everyone across the entire value chain and the long term commitment of businesses, governments, and communities.
Sources: down to earth.
Mains Question: Discuss the magnitude and implications of plastic pollution in oceans.
