Heike Vesper, Head of Marine Protection at WWF Germany: “A truckload of plastic waste reaches the oceans every minute, so it is high time to stop the plastic entry into the oceans. The founding of the group of friends shows that the flood of plastic is being taken seriously worldwide. However, we are still at the beginning of a path to the goal of which there can only be a global agreement to prevent plastic waste entering the oceans. ”
The WWF welcomes the fact that Germany is a founding member of the group. This shows that the federal government takes the fight against the plastic flood seriously. As the third largest exporter of plastic waste worldwide, the environmental organization Germany sees an increasing obligation to fight plastic pollution of the oceans. Vesper comments: “To protect our oceans, we need an international agreement that binds waste reduction, improved waste management and the end of plastic littering of the oceans worldwide. At the UN environmental summit last year, the first attempt for such an agreement failed. The group of friends is now giving hope for seabirds, sea turtles and other plastic species endangered on the day of the oceans. "
Background: group of friends against plastic pollution of the seas
Friends groups are organized by the Permanent Representations of Member States to the United Nations. There are a variety of groups of friends, including about sustainable cities, climate and security. The high-level kick-off event of the coalition of states against plastic pollution of the sea begins today at 3 p.m. German time. Because of the corona pandemic, it is taking place virtually. Norway, Antigua and Barbuda and the Maldives are the group's chairs. The WWF is the only non-state actor to be a founding member. In the future, for example, the group will organize high-level meetings at the head of state or ministerial level, for example on the sidelines of official UN events in New York. It also supports efforts on the way to the 2021 United Nations Environment Assembly,which can conclude the agreement requested by the WWF.
