All 193 UN Countries Have Signed A Pledge To Reduce Plastic Pollution In The Oceans

One-hundred-and-ninety-three countries - including Britain - have signed a UN resolution to drastically reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our oceans.

Research has shown that if we keep filling the oceans with plastic at the current rate there will be more plastic than fish in the seas by the year 2050. As it stands, eight million tones a year - which is equivalent to one rubbish truck every minute - ends up in our seas.

It has also been proven that plastic is killing thousands of turtles and other marine animals as well as trapping many more.

The UN pledge was instigated by Norway and signed by all 193 members of the United Nations. It comes off the back of a global movement to attempt to stop the damage to our oceans which has been highlighted by programmes such as the BBC's massively popular Blue Planet II.

Here at LADbible, we've also played a part by driving the charge for change with our Trash Isles campaign, which had already been recognised by the UN having highlighted a collection of plastic cumulatively the size of France in the Pacific Ocean.

So, the UN's agreement to start keeping better track of how much plastic is being dumped in the oceans and begin trying to find new ways to make plastic pollution illegal is massive news.

Norway's environment minister, Vidar Helgesen, told Reuters: "There is very strong language in this resolution,

"We now have an agreement to explore a legally binding instrument and other measures and that will be done at the international level over the next 18 months."

Helgesen added: "We found micro plastics inside mussels, which is something we like to eat.

"In January this year, a fairly rare species of whale was stranded on a beach because of exhaustion and they simply had to kill it. In its tummy they found 30 plastic bags."

The UN Environmental Programme also wants to see some packaging and, in particular, plastic straws, redesigned or banned altogether.

The head of the UNEP, Eric Solheim, said: "Let's abolish products that we do not need ... if you go to tourist places like Bali, a huge amount of the plastic picked from the oceans are actually straws."

Whilst Britain has already taken steps such as introducing the charge on plastic bags, 39 other countries have also agreed to new measures regarding plastics.

The UNEP chief of public advocacy, Sam Barrat said: "While this is not a treaty, significant progress is being made...39 governments announced new commitments to reduce the amount of plastic going into the sea.

"Chile, Oman, Sri Lanka and South Africa today...announced measures including plastic bag bans, new marine reserves and drives to increase recycling."

Well done, LADs.

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