• Joins an appeal for a global treaty on plastics which seeks inter-Govt. agreement on full life cycle of plastics

Sri Lanka signed up for a joint high-level appeal calling for an effective global treaty to combat the challenge of plastic pollution, on the sidelines of the third United Nations Conference Oceans Conference (UNOC3) which is held this week in Nice, France.

The appeal termed, ‘Nice Wake-Up Call’, was endorsed by Sri Lanka with the Director General of the Ocean Affairs, Environment and Climate Change Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rizvi Hassen, signing the collective appeal on Wednesday (11) during a side event at the UNOC3. 

Responding to a question from The Daily Morning, Hassen stressed that combatting plastic pollution is important for small island nations such as Sri Lanka, as the amount of plastic which is found in the water bodies and ocean is increasing and poses multiple challenges to the ecosystem and those dependent on it. Sri Lanka is one of 95 nations which has signed the appeal as of Wednesday.

The appeal comes ahead of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC 5.2) session on the global plastics treaty which is expected to take place in August.

The agreement which the signatories are seeking has a particular focus on reducing the global production of plastics, eliminating harmful chemicals, promoting sustainable design, and ensuring effective means of implementation – including financial support through the polluter-pays principle. The signatories want a binding agreement which is science-based and will evolve over time to tackle the global plastics crisis.

Hassen added that joining the call for a comprehensive and binding treaty on plastics reflects the country’s continued commitment to environmental sustainability and aligns closely with its priorities including global production controls, enhanced product design standards, and the promotion of extended producer responsibility as a key implementation tool.

Earlier this week, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, addressing a press conference at the UNOC3, stressed the need for a comprehensive global agreement on plastic pollution by the end of the year, pointing out that the “world”, especially its ocean ecosystem which all life is dependent on, was “running out of time” to address the plastic crisis. He urged all nations to join the effort and find solutions to the crisis.