Historic day in the campaign to beat plastic pollution: Nations commit to develop a legally binding agreement at United Nations 2 March 2022

For more information visit the United Nations Enviornment Programme (UNEP) Web Site https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories

Historic day in the campaign to beat plastic pollution: Nations commit to develop a legally binding agreement

UNEP / 02 Mar 2022

Nairobi, 02 March 2022 – Heads of State, Ministers of environment and other representatives from 175 nations endorsed a historic resolution at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) today in Nairobi to End Plastic Pollution and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024. The resolution addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal.

“Against the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil, the UN Environment Assembly shows multilateral cooperation at its best,” said the President of UNEA-5 and Norway’s Minister for Climate and the Environment, Espen Barth Eide. “Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic. With today’s resolution we are officially on track for a cure.” 

The resolution, based on three initial draft resolutions from various nations, establishes an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), which will begin its work in 2022, with the ambition of completing a draft global legally binding agreement by the end of 2024. It is expected to present a legally binding instrument, which would reflect diverse alternatives to address the full lifecycle of plastics, the design of reusable and recyclable products and materials, and the need for enhanced international collaboration to facilitate access to technology, capacity building and scientific and technical cooperation.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will convene a forum by the end of 2022 that is open to all stakeholders in conjunction with the first session of the INC, to share knowledge and best practices in different parts of the world. It will facilitate open discussions and ensure they are informed by science, reporting on progress throughout the next two years. Finally, upon completion of the INC’s work, UNEP will convene a diplomatic conference to adopt its outcome and open it for signatures.

“Today marks a triumph by planet earth over single-use plastics. This is the most significant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris accord. It is an insurance policy for this generation and future ones, so they may live with plastic and not be doomed by it.” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.

“Let it be clear that the INC’s mandate does not grant any stakeholder a two-year pause. In parallel to negotiations over an international binding agreement, UNEP will work with any willing government and business across the value chain to shift away from single-use plastics, as well as to mobilise private finance and remove barriers to investments in research and in a new circular economy,” Andersen added.

Plastic production soared from 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 348 million tonnes in 2017, becoming a global industry valued at US$522.6 billion, and it is expected to double in capacity by 2040. The impacts of plastic production and pollution on the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature loss and pollution are a catastrophe in the making:

• Exposure to plastics can harm human health, potentially affecting fertility, hormonal, metabolic and neurological activity, and open burning of plastics contributes to air pollution.
• By 2050 greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic production, use and disposal would account for 15 per cent of allowed emissions, under the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C (34.7°F).
• More than 800 marine and coastal species are affected by this pollution through ingestion, entanglement, and other dangers.
• Some 11 million tonnes of plastic waste flow annually into oceans. This may triple by 2040.
• A shift to a circular economy can reduce the volume of plastics entering oceans by over 80 per cent by 2040; reduce virgin plastic production by 55 per cent; save governments US$70 billion by 2040; reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent; and create 700,000 additional jobs – mainly in the global south.

The historic resolution, titled “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an internationally legally binding instrument” was adopted with the conclusion of the three-day UNEA-5.2 meeting, attended by more than 3,400 in-person and 1,500 online participants from 175 UN Member States, including 79 ministers and 17 high-level officials.

The Assembly will be followed by “UNEP@50,” a two-day Special Session of the Assembly marking UNEP’s 50^th anniversary where Member States are expected to address how to build a resilient and inclusive post-pandemic world.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Quote from the Government of Japan: “The resolution will clearly take us towards a future with no plastic pollution, including in the marine environment,” said Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Japan’s Environment Minister, whose draft resolution contributed to the final resolution. “United, we can make it happen. Together, let us go forward as we start the negotiations towards a better future with no plastic pollution.”
• Quote from the Government of Peru: "We appreciate the support received from the various countries during this negotiation process," said Modesto Montoya, Peru’s Minister of Environment, whose draft resolution, proposed with the Government of Rwanda, contributed to the final resolution. "Peru will promote a new agreement that prevents and reduces plastic pollution, promotes a circular economy and addresses the full life cycle of plastics.”
• Quote from the Government of Rwanda: “The world has come together act against plastic pollution – a serious threat to our planet. International partnerships will be crucial in tackling a problem that affects all of us, and the progress made at UNEA reflects this spirit of collaboration,” said Dr Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, Rwanda's Minister of Environment. “We look forward to working with the INC and are optimistic about the opportunity to create a legally binding treaty as a framework for national ambition-setting, monitoring, investment, and knowledge transfer to end plastic pollution.”

UNEP@50: A time to reflect on the past and envision the future

The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, was the first-ever UN conference with the word “environment” in its title. The creation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) was one of the most visible outcomes of this conference of many firsts. UNEP was created quite simply to be the environmental conscience of the UN and the world. Activities taking place through 2022 will look at significant progress made as well as what’s ahead in decades to come.

About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

What a great achievement this is, finally some light at the end of the tunnel. The momentum still needs to keep going, although at this particular time events in Ukraine are dominating everything (quite rightly so) and we are all watching with anxiety.

The blog song for today is: "Not fade away" by the Rolling Stones

TTFN 

100 days since the COP26 climate change conference: Has anything really changed? A report from ITV regional news UK (21/02/2022)

 

100 days since the COP26 climate change conference: Has anything really changed?

• Monday 21 February 2022, 5:35pm

James Webster

Correspondent, ITV Regional News

100 days have now passed since the world's leaders gathered in Glasgow for the COP26 Climate Change Conference. As part of the team from ITV News reporting from the talks, you could feel the expectation at the talks, the hope for a deal that made a real difference.

The sheer variety of accents and languages you would overhear as you walked around the venue was the best illustration of how many countries were represented there. And throughout the two weeks of talks, it felt like the world's climate was a real talking point, not just on TV and radio but more generally too.

Two weeks of difficult negotiations, perhaps inevitable, ran over time but a deal was done. Some, but not all countries agreed to reduce their use of coal power. Deforestation would be stopped and in some cases reversed. More new vehicles would be zero emissions. But conservationists say the conference missed other issues like international aviation and the impact of the food we eat. The UK government has also been criticised for not halting controversial plans for a new coal mine in Cumbria and the expansion of Bristol Airport.

So what was it all for? Since COP26 there has been much less focus on environmental issues. Has it lost momentum?

Alok Sharma MP remains the President of COP26 for most of 2022 and has been touring parts of Asia for further talks with countries about climate change.

During his visit to Indonesia I asked him what further work he has been doing on the commitments promised at COP26 since the conference ended.

"At this stage these are words on a page," Mr Sharma said.

"There are commitments that have been made by countries, some of which have to be delivered by the end of this year, others that are to be delivered in years forward.

"That is what this period is all about, pushing forward on delivery, ensuring that the commitments that have been made are turned into real action."

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The independent Climate Change Committee, which scrutinises the government's policies, published its review of COP26 in December. It feels the UK still hasn't put enough changes in place to deliver on its net-zero targets at a time it should be leading by example while it still holds the COP presidency.

There are some climate change campaigners, such as Ben Margolis from the Climate Change Coalition, who feel that there needed to be more policies from the government to enable people to make changes to benefit the environment: "People want to switch to electric vehicles, they want to switch to sustainable forms of transport, they want to install double glazing and insulation and heat pumps. The problem is that there's just not the incentives or the money there to allow people to do so, so I think that's what people are expecting from the government now."

In response Alok Sharma told me: "In terms of policies we put forward before COP, a net-zero strategy where we set out how we were going to get to net-zero by 2050, which is enshrined in law, and as part of that it's really important to recognise that of course this is about cutting emissions, is about having a healthier environment for everyone in the UK and across the world but it's also about growing the economy.

"I think the public is on board. But of course, what we need to be doing is explaining perhaps even further the benefits of getting to net zero and what we need to do as a government is to demonstrate that actually net zero is very good news for the environment. It's good news for the future but it's also good news for the economy. In the end of the day, this is about driving green growth."

So what do we learn from Alok Sharma's update, marking 100 days since the end of COP26? It feels very much as though his focus, perhaps unsurprisingly, is international right now. The UK retains the presidency of COP until world leaders gather again for COP27 in Egypt later this year. In that role it's perhaps not surprising that we have seen little of Alok Sharma domestically as he travels the world seeking to make further progress internationally on what is, after all, a global issue.

The fact that when I asked him about further domestic policy, he simply reiterated the progress the UK has already made and the policies previously announced last autumn suggests that for now at least there is no more policy and no more money to pay for the sorts of policies the Climate Change Coalition is suggesting.

And that is not going to cut it with the climate change experts who have analysed the small print of the agreements made at COP26. Those scientists are clear that even if everything at COP26 is delivered, it still does not go far enough to limit climate change to 1.5C. These are the same scientists who also point out that while the UK may have some world leading targets for 2030 and 2050, the policies announced so far do not seem to demonstrate how those targets will be delivered.

Some analysts have suggested that while COP26 "opened the door" to limiting climate change to 1.5C, the world did not get through the door. It remains a possibility but more steps need to be taken and 100 days on it still feels like the world is not yet through that door.

The blog song for today is: " Our house" by Madness

TTFN

IPCC Report - Climate Change Crisis in Europe. NOT GOOD AT ALL

 Here is a link to the Climate Change Report from the IPCC :https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/

                                                     

Here is a copy of the text of the report concerning us here in Europe.

If you go to the website you will see there are assessments for all of the world.

SIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORT
Working Group II – Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability

Key Risk 2: Heat and drought stress on crops
Substantive agricultural production losses are projected for most European areas over the 21st century, which will not be offset by
gains in Northern Europe (high confidence). While irrigation is an effective adaptation option for agriculture, the ability to adapt using
irrigation will be increasingly limited by water availability, especially in response to GWL above 3°C (high confidence)
 

Fact sheet - Europe

 
Climate change impacts and risks
Our current 1.1°C warmer world is already affecting natural and
human systems in Europe (very high confidence). Impacts of
compound heatwaves and droughts have become more frequent
(medium confidence). Largely negative impacts are projected for
southern regions.

 
Climate Change Impacts and Risks

Figure 1:
Changes in climate hazards for
global warming levels of 1.5ºC
and 3ºC based on the CMIP6
ensemble (Gutiérrez et al., 2021)
with respect to the baseline
period 1995-2014, combined with
information on present exposure
or vulnerability:
(a,b) number of days with
temperature maximum above
35ºC (TX35) and population
density (European Comission,
2019);
(c,d) daily precipitation maximum
(Rx1 d) and built-up area
(JRCdatacatalogue, 2021);
{Figure 13.4 panels a – d}
 

Key Risk 1: Mortality and morbidity of people and changes in ecosystems due to heat
The number of deaths and people at risk of heat stress will increase two- to threefold at 3ºC compared with 1.5ºC GWL (high
confidence). Above 3°C GWL, there are limits to the adaptation potential of people and existing health systems (high confidence).

Warming will decrease suitable habitat space for current terrestrial and marine ecosystems and irreversibly change their composition,
increasing in severity above 2°C GWL (very high confidence). Fire-prone areas are projected to expand across Europe, threatening
biodiversity and carbon sinks (medium confidence).
 

Key Risks
Four key risks (KR) have been identified for Europe, with most
becoming more severe at 2°C global warming level (GWL)
compared to 1.5°C GWL in scenarios with low to medium
adaptation (high confidence). From 3°C GWL and even with
high adaptation, severe risks remain for many sectors in Europe
(high confidence)

SIXTH ASSESSMENT REPORT
Working Group II – Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
 

Key Risk 4: Flooding and sea level rise
Above 3°C GWL, damage costs and people affected by
precipitation and river flooding may double. Coastal flood
damage is projected to increase at least 10-fold by the end of the
21st century, and even more or earlier with current adaptation
and mitigation (high confidence). Sea level rise represents an
existential threat for coastal communities and their cultural
heritage, particularly beyond 2100.
• Key Risk 1 (heat): behavioural change combined with building
interventions, space cooling and urban planning to manage heat
risks; restoration, expansion and connection of protected areas for
ecosystems
• Key Risk 2 (agriculture): irrigation, vegetation cover, changes in
farming practices, crop and animal species, and shifting planting;
[fire and forest management, and agroecology]
• Key Risk 3 (water scarcity): efficiency improvements, water
storage, water reuse, early warning systems, and land use
change
 

Barriers
Key barriers are limited resources, lack of private sector and citizens
engagement, insufficient mobilisation of finance, lack of political
leadership, and low sense of urgency. Most of the adaptation
options to the key risks depend on limited water and land resources,
creating competition and trade-offs, also with mitigation options and
socio-economic developments (high confidence)
 

Adaptation Options and Barriers
Residual risks
In many parts of Europe, existing and planned adaptation
measures are not sufficient to avoid the residual risk, especially
beyond 1.5°C GWL (high confidence). Residual risk can result in
losses of habitat and ecosystem services, heat related deaths,
crop failures, water rationing during droughts in Southern
Europe, and loss of land (medium confidence).
 

Climate Resilient Development
Closing the adaptation gap requires moving beyond short-term planning and ensuring timely and adequate implementation (high
confidence). Inclusive, equitable and just adaptation pathways are critical for climate resilient development. The success of adaptation will
depend on our understanding of which adaptation options are feasible and effective in their local context (high confidence).
 

Adaptation options
There is a growing range of adaptation options available today to deal with future climate risks (high confidence). Examples for
adaptation to the key risks include:

Figure 2: Burning ember diagrams for key risks for Europe with low to medium adaptation.

Key Risk 3: Water scarcity

 
In Southern Europe, more than a third of the population will be
exposed to water scarcity at 2°C GWL; under 3°C GWL, this risk
will double, and significant economic losses in water and energy
dependent sectors may arise (medium confidence). For Western
Central and Southern Europe, and for many cities, the risk of
water scarcity will increase strongly under 3°C GWL.

• Key Risk 4 (flooding):

 early warning systems, reserving space
for water and ecosystem-based adaptation, sediment or
engineering based options, land use change and managed
retreat
• Nature-based solutions with safeguards for flood protection
and heat alleviation are themselves under threat from
warming, extreme heat, drought and sea level rise (high
confidence).

I understand that at this moment we are all worried about the awful situation in the Ukraine, but we still need to carry on with trying to stop climate change, if we do nothing then when the Ukraine crisis is over we will be in an even worse situation.

We still have to carry on trying to do our best, this is not going away.  As I have said so many times before, everyone has to do their bit, it is not okay to say, "well thats not my job or i'm too busy" or any other lame excuse, only one thing is true, we are destroying our only home, act now, keep on acting.

The blog song for today is: "Good times, bad times" by Led Zeppelin

 TTFN