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Encouraging to see India's innovation to tackle pollution: UN Environment acting chief
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Vishal Gulati | 25 Mar, 2019
It's encouraging to see innovation -- a key to tackling pollution --
coming from all corners, especially developing countries like India, UN
Environment acting Executive Director Joyce Msuya has said.
This
is innovation in many forms, not just gleaming new technology like
electric vehicles. Social innovation is important, like citizen-led
movements to clean up pollution such as that led by Afroz Shah, who is
engaged in one of the world's largest beach cleaning operations in
Mumbai.
"Policy innovation is important as well, and we have seen
India excel here, not least with a major announcement to ban single-use
plastics by 2022," Msuya told IANS in an interview in run-up to the
Fourth UN Environment Assembly here March 11-15.
Negotiations at
the annual assembly are expected to tackle critical issues such as
stopping food waste, promoting the decarbonisation of economies,
tackling the crisis of plastic pollution in oceans, among many other
pressing challenges.
Msuya, a Tanzanian microbiologist and environmental scientist, believes everyone can contribute to solutions to pollution.
Policy
directions from the government, like India's single-use plastic ban,
help set the tone for businesses and encourages them to develop
sustainable solutions, she said.
At the same time, upward
pressure from individuals changing their habits and civil society
campaigns force businesses to provide the non-polluting products that
consumers demand.
Praising India's commitment to eliminate
single-use plastic by 2022, the UN Environment acting chief said:
"India's announcement that it will eliminate all single-use plastic in
the country by 2022 is a tremendous move by the government."
"This
unprecedented action will reduce plastic waste from 1.3 billion people
in the fastest growing economy in the world. India is setting the bar
high with this bold announcement."
On World Environment Day on
June 6, 2018, India pledged to eliminate all single-use plastic items
like carry bags, straws and water bottles by 2022, the year coinciding
with 75 years of the country's independence.
The annual average per capita consumption of plastic in India is at 11 kg as against global average of 28 kg.
Single-use plastic ban and improving recycling technology are simply two tools in the same toolbox.
"There
is no one answer to environmental challenges like this, and we need a
comprehensive approach. For example, the UN Environment recently
announced a project with Japan that will identify sources of plastic
pollution in the Ganga river.
"This is the first time such a
survey will have ever been done, and the knowledge we gain will help us
better understand the problem. We need to be working across all areas.
Every technological, scientific social and policy innovation is a
welcome addition to domestic and global efforts to beat plastic
pollution," an optimistic Msuya said.
On smog becoming an annual
affair in New Delhi every winter, she said Indian cities, like a number
of others around the world, are suffering from poor air quality.
"This
is a global public health emergency. Living in cities should not mean
living fewer years, or losing cognitive capabilities, or reducing the
quality of life of our children," said Msuya, who has visited and lived
in cities chafing under the dark clouds of haze and smog.
For
her, there is no magic fix. A range of actions must be taken by
individuals, city authorities and governments, and these should be based
on science.
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