CCLG-Africa calls for urgent global and local action against plastic pollution …on World Earth Day
In recognition of World Earth Day, CCLG-Africa, a prominent climate communications group, is pressing African governments to implement comprehensive measures to control plastic pollution.
The group’s president, Mr. Kofi Don-Agor, emphasized that the urgency of this issue extends beyond national borders, calling on the United Nations to expedite the creation of a global treaty on plastic pollution.
This year’s World Earth Day theme, ‘Planet versus Plastics,’ casts a spotlight on the critical environmental crisis of plastic pollution.
Mr. Don-Agor expressed in a press release, “We urge African governments to adopt decisive plastic control measures to preserve our environment, while also pressing the United Nations to urgently address global demands for a treaty on plastic pollution to protect our planet.”
Plastic waste is a severe pollutant with extensive negative impacts on the environment, threatening the survival of countless species and the well-being of humanity. Like the risks associated with fossil fuel combustion, plastics, which persist in the environment for years, pose ongoing threats to ecological and human health.
The press statement also highlighted the pervasive issue of plastics in natural water bodies and communities, where they pose significant risks to flora, fauna, and human populations alike.
To combat this, CCLG-Africa, together with other environmental advocates, is championing a bold initiative to reduce global plastic production by 60% by the year 2040.
“We call on civil society organizations, academia, environmentalists, journalists, media organizations, and the global community to unite in urging local and national authorities to take immediate action to safeguard our planet,” the statement continued.
Available data reveals that Ghana generates around 0.84 million tonnes of municipal plastic waste annually, increasing by 5.4% annually.
An estimated 86 per cent of Ghana’s waste plastic load, is improperly disposed of resulting in plastics clogging up stormwater drains, rivers, and streams and ending up in the oceans. It is estimated that 250,000 metric tons of plastic waste are dumped from Ghana into the Atlantic Ocean (World Bank, 2020).
First observed in 1970, World Earth Day has evolved into a worldwide event celebrated by over a billion people across more than 193 countries.
The day serves to educate and mobilize individuals, communities, and governments about the critical importance of the environment and the urgent need for its preservation and restoration.
By addressing the pressing issue of plastic pollution, CCLG-Africa hopes to inspire widespread action that ensures a healthier planet and a secure future for all.
By Eugene Davis
