South African authorities indicate need to support global efforts to combat plastic pollution

South African Minister of Forest Fisheries and Environment Barbara Creecy said South Africa is determined to support global efforts to end plastic pollution.

She recalled that in 2022, the country agreed to the need for an international legally binding instrument to combat plastic pollution at the fifth session of the United Nations (UN) Environment Assembly.

The Minister added that in domestic policy, this position is based on the South African Constitution, which protects the right to an environment that is not harmful to health. This is reported by Prensa Latina, a partner of TV BRICS.

The head of the department said that combating this type of pollution is part of the industrial development of the country. The approach to increasing the life cycle of plastic products requires the participation of many business representatives, so the government takes into account the opinions of all economic actors, the Minister concluded.

She reminded that plastic waste affects the quality of the terrestrial and aquatic environment and it must be taken into account that South Africa's coastline stretches over 3000 kilometres.

Barbara Creecy made these statements during a stakeholder consultation meeting on South Africa's position ahead of the Fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC4) on environmental protection.