By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Cabinet has adopted South Africa’s negotiating mandate on the draft resolution on an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution to be tabled at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from February 28 to March 2.
South Africa is in support of addressing the issue of marine litter and plastic pollution in line with the position proposed by the African continent, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment emphasises in a statement.
It notes that the country is in support of mandating the executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme to establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee under UNEA to negotiate an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, given the environmental challenges faced as a consequence of plastic pollution.
The resolution, which was originally sponsored by Rwanda and Peru, also proposes provisions that should be addressed by such an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.
It notes that the country is in support of mandating the executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme to establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee under UNEA to negotiate an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, given the environmental challenges faced as a consequence of plastic pollution.
The resolution, which was originally sponsored by Rwanda and Peru, also proposes provisions that should be addressed by such an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.
South Africa will also, in addition to these provisions, request the inclusion of the recognition of the special needs and circumstances of Africa and that the internationally legally binding global agreement on plastics pollution must include the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in light of national circumstances.
South Africa will also stress the need for new, additional and predictable finance, including technology transfer, development and deployment, as well as capacity building to support developing countries, in particular Africa for its implementation.