United Nations considering global treaty to fight plastic pollution
PBS NewsHourMAR 19 2022
The fossil fuel industry has a track record of slowing environmental action, and this time won't be any different. As plastics are crucial for its bottom line, it's no surprise that the corporate world is pushing for recycling over production cuts — an effort that studies have shown doesn't work. While these negotiations are an admirable effort, finding a balance between what should be done and appeasing global oil leaders like Saudi Arabia won't be easy.
The world is reaching its global saturation point, and something must be done, particularly as it's the poor who bear the brunt of plastic pollution. Rich nations have long sent their waste to be thrown away or recycled abroad, and studies show that the quantities involved are grossly underestimated. The havoc this takes on the health of people in poor nations is untold. The negotiations in Nairobi must be finalized.