A growing crisis is engulfing our planet as plastic pollution has reached even the most remote parts. The most recent evidence suggests that plastics have been found in Greenland’s ice cap, Mount Everest, and the deepest ocean trenches. Experts warn of a human-made disaster that poses an environmental threat and serious health risks.
The production of plastics is set to triple to over 1 billion tonnes annually by 2060, up from a mere 200 times increase over the past 75 years. This alarming backdrop calls for urgent action at UN-convened talks in Switzerland this week. In 2022, an unprecedented global agreement was reached, but negotiations have stalled due to major oil-producing countries’ reluctance to adopt binding reductions.
Industry lobbyists and fossil fuel producers are working against a reduced production of plastics. The US withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement under President Trump’s administration further complicates the situation. An expert review has warned that plastic pollution poses a “grave, growing and under-recognised danger” to human health and planetary well-being.
The impact on marine ecosystems is well-documented, but its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions (3%) and chemical pollutants in human bodies should not be ignored. Health-related damages are estimated at £1.1 trillion annually. Any agreement must address the need for global production caps, eliminate harmful chemicals from manufacture, and phase out single-use plastics. The talks in Switzerland offer a last chance to act on this pressing crisis; tangible progress is now expected.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/05/the-guardian-view-on-plastic-pollution-global-action-is-desperately-needed-to-deal-with-this-scourge