00:00Imagine standing on a beach, the waves lapping at your feet.
00:08Yet, the shore is cluttered with plastic waste like bags, bottles, wrappers,
00:14glittering in the sunlight like a grim reminder of our unsustainable consumption.
00:20This image is no longer an isolated site, but a global reality.
00:33The plastic pollution crisis is an urgent and overwhelming issue
00:37that threatens not just our landscapes, but entire ecosystem and the very future of life on earth.
00:46Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste flood our oceans, entangling marine life,
00:53polluting the water and disrupting the balance of marine environment.
00:58Yet, as the world grapples with this escalating crisis, the path to a global solution remains uncertain.
01:07The severity of plastic pollution is undeniable.
01:11Since the year 1950s, over 8 billion tons of plastics have been produced worldwide
01:18and less than just 10% of it has been recycled.
01:26The rest accumulates in the landfills, rivers and the oceans.
01:30The impact on wildlife is catastrophic, with marine creatures like birds, fish, whales
01:37falling victim to plastic ingestion or entanglement.
01:41These plastics can take centuries to degrade.
01:45And in the meantime, they release toxic chemicals into the environment,
01:50further excavating the pollution problem.
01:55Additionally, plastic is a major contributor to the global greenhouse gas emission,
02:01accounting for 5% of total emissions, making it a dual threat to both our ecosystem and the climate.
02:15For countries like India, the situation is particularly dire.
02:19With over 1.4 billion people, India is one of the largest producers and consumers of plastic products.
02:27The country's rapid urbanization, industrial growth and population density have all led to an increase in plastic waste.
02:35In cities like Delhi and Mumbai, plastic waste has become a critical issue,
02:41with landfills overflowing and rivers choked with plastic debris.
02:45The government has attempted to tackle this through initiatives like the ban on single-use plastics
02:52and the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility or in short EPR rules,
02:58which hold manufacturers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their plastic products.
03:04However, despite these efforts, India's recycling system remains underdeveloped
03:10and plastic continues to be an integral part of daily life, from food packaging to construction material.
03:23The recent international negotiations in Busan, South Korea, were meant to finalize a treaty to address this crisis.
03:31For more than two years, over 200 nations gathered to discuss solutions to plastic pollution,
03:38with the hope of creating a legally binding global framework.
03:43The discussion, however, ended in disappointment.
03:47Deep divisions between nations, particularly between the high-ambition countries advocating for the reduction of plastic production
03:55and oil-producing nations, concerned about economic repercussions, led to a lack of agreement.
04:02While countries like the UK and the EU and various developing nations pushed for binding commitments to reduce plastic production,
04:11oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia and Russia opposed such measures,
04:16arguing that cutting plastic production could hinder economic growth.
04:21India, too, faced a dilemma at this conference.
04:25The country's negotiators expressed concern that any drastic measure to reduce plastic production could impede its developmental rights,
04:34particularly given that plastic remains a crucial component of several industries.
04:39Instead, India called for a focus on waste management and sought financial assistance for developing nations
04:46to implement the necessary infrastructure for recycling and waste disposal.
04:51While India's stance reflects its need to balance environmental goals with developmental priorities,
04:59it highlights the broader struggle between addressing climate change and fostering economic growth.
05:06As the world moves forward, the fate of the Global Plastic Treaty remains uncertain.
05:11While the talks were a step in the right direction, the collapse of these discussions highlight the complexity of balancing environmental action and economic considerations.
05:22For India, the way forward will require an innovative solution that addresses both the urgent need to curb plastic pollution
05:30and the reality of its dependence on plastic in various sectors.
05:34The coming years will test whether nations can overcome their differences
05:39and create a meaningful framework to combat one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time.
05:45That's all in today's video. This is your host Rhea and you are watching OneIndia.
05:50Don't miss out. Log on to OneIndia.com for more updates.
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