The United Nations has endorsed a landmark worldwide resolution to End Plastic Pollution

The more we discover the extent of plastic pollution in the world's rivers, seas, and even mountaintops, the more urgent the need for broad-based, coordinated action becomes. Global leaders at the UN Environmental Assembly have supported a first-of-its-kind resolution covering the material's whole lifespan to lessen its rising consequences on the natural world in what is being hailed as a historic day.

It was manufactured around two million metric tonnes of plastic globally in 1950. By 2017, the figure had risen to 348 million metric tonnes, with much of it meant for one-time use and poorly disposed of, resulting in it entering the environment and having mainly unknown effects on living species.

While there is still much to understand about the risks of plastic to humans, animals, and even plants, scientists are beginning to make frightening discoveries. We know that plastic particles may modify the structure of lung cells while having wider, harmful impacts on human cells, trigger reproductive alterations in fish and penetrate the blood-brain barrier in mice, according to a recent study.

Rather than focusing on cleanup options or ways to prevent these detrimental impacts on live species, experts in the area frequently emphasize addressing the problem at its source; this entails promoting topics like plastic circular economies and developing and using alternative materials.

The resolution "End Plastic Pollution," endorsed by 175 world leaders at the United Nations Environment Assembly today, aims to achieve these goals. Work on crafting a legally binding agreement for 2024 will begin this year to address the complete lifetime of plastic, including its manufacture, design, and disposal; this entails looking for alternatives and developing reusable and recyclable items and materials.

"Today symbolizes Planet Earth's victory against single-use plastics," says the statement ", According to Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. "This is the most major global environmental agreement since the Paris Agreement.

It's an insurance policy for this and future generations, allowing them to live with plastic without being condemned by it."

Source: United Nations Environment Programme