Plastic Oceans: A Growing Environmental Challenge

Plastic pollution in our oceans is a widespread and growing environmental challenge. Recently, the WWF released a report which warned that the Mediterranean could become a ‘sea of plastic.’  The WWF found that the “concentration of micro-plastics is nearly four times higher in the Mediterranean compared with open seas elsewhere in the world.” This finding comes as Greenpeace announced that microplastics and hazardous chemicals have been found in Antarctica. With this finding, plastic pollution is now a widespread environmental challenge, impacting all corners of the world. Furthermore, many experts have warned that if current trends continue, there will eventually be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

Microplastics are pieces of plastic that are less than five millimetres in length and occur when plastic breaks down. The United Nations (UN) Environmental Programme has previously stated that globally eight million tonnes of plastic are dumped in the ocean each year and this waste is killing marine wildlife. Furthermore, these plastics have already entered the human food chain, with microplastics being found in food and drinking water around the world. The health impacts of these plastics are unknown, as little research has been conducted on them.

Plastic pollution is a threat to the environment and human security. Introduced in 1994 by the United Nations Development Programme, human security shifts the focus of security threats to the individual rather than the state. Environmental security is one of the key areas which sit within this paradigm and this area aims to protect individuals from environmental threats – whether they be a natural phenomenon, man-made threat or deterioration of the environment. Plastic pollution is a man-made threat which has the potential to impact human health. As mentioned above, these microplastics have already been found in the food chain, which means that it is a real threat to human health. Due to this, it is necessary that this issue is addressed by the global community.

More than 60 countries around the world are already acting to address this issue. Examples of these actions include Kenya banning plastic bags, Sri Lanka banning Styrofoam, China banning the use of biodegradable bags and in the UK single-use plastic bags have been taxed and the use of microbeads in personal hygiene products has been banned. One of the most ambitious plans has emerged in India with the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, pledging to abolish all single-use plastic. This pledge includes plastic bags, cutlery, straws and other single use plastic items. When making this pledge, Modi stated that “the choices we make today will define our collective future.” Furthermore, he stressed the importance of awareness and a global partnership to address plastic pollution. India’s actions have been praised with the head of the UN Environmental Programme, Erik Solheim, stating that “[India] has shown that political motivation, turned into practical action can inspire the world and ignite real change.”

Last month, the European Commission also called for a ban on single-use plastic with Frans Timmerman stating that “plastic waste is undeniably a big issue and European’s need to act together to tackle this problem because plastic waste ends up in our air, our soil, our oceans and in our food.” As part of this ban, the European Commission also proposed new measures which would see producers obliged to help cover the cost of clean ups and waste management for certain items, like cigarette butts, wet wipes as well as lightweight plastic bags. This plan still needs to be assessed and approved by the European Union before it is implemented.

While the actions of these countries have been applauded as steps in the right direction, many experts and international bodies have stressed that it is not enough. PlasticsEurope highlighted that “plastic product bans are not the solution and will not achieve the structural change needed to build the foundation for a sustainable and resource efficient economy.” One of the ways to address this issue is an international agreement, an idea which has been suggested by non-governmental bodies such as the WWF.  In their report titled ‘Out of the Plastic Trap: Saving the Mediterranean from Plastic Pollution,’ they recommended an international agreement to reduce dumping of plastic waste and introduce measures to clean up the waste already in the oceans.

As a result, plastic pollution is a collective environmental challenge which requires a collective international response. Hypothetically, an international agreement makes sense to address this issue. However, to be successful the arrangement would need to not only focus on stopping future plastic waste, but it would also need to address how to clean up current waste. Furthermore, any potential agreement would require strong commitment from its signatories. Without such mechanism, it is unlikely that an agreement of this kind would be ratified into domestic practice. This step of ratification is important for all international agreements, as it indicates real action towards solving the issue and makes states accountable.

In addition, if an international agreement was pursued to address the issue of plastic pollution, it would take time before it could be ratified at the state level. International covenants involve a significant time commitment as there are negotiations with a lot of different parties, each with their own motivations and stakes. It is for this reason that it is important nations still take steps towards minimizing plastic pollution, like banning single use plastic bags. Initiatives, like the ones being taken by India and the European Union, are positive steps towards creating new norms around plastic pollution. The creation of these norms will influence any potential international agreement, as states will advocate for what they believe is the correct way to address the issue. Furthermore, examples like these ones will also help minimize plastic waste in the short term.

Another important factor to consider in the development of an international agreement is research. To inform any future discussions about this issue, it is crucial that more investigation is done. This research should assess and determine any potential implications microplastics could have on human health. Little is known about them and their impact on human health, but they do have the potential to be dangerous. Marine wildlife has already died from eating microplastics which indicates a real possibility that they can impact human health. This is no longer an abstract issue which only impacts marine wildlife. As mentioned earlier, microplastics have already found their way into the food chain, and any research conducted will better inform an international agreement or solution to these issues.

Yet importantly, no one actor can solve this issue, nor should they be expected to. Plastic pollution is something that everyone has contributed to and as such, the responsibility to work towards solving it rests with all states. An international agreement should be investigated as it can help commit states to actions which would reduce plastic waste. Without a solution, our oceans are doomed to become plastic wastelands.

Lillian Wetherspoon

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