The COVID-19 crisis is linked with nature loss and shrinking habitats. And it comes on top of the triple crises we already face: our climate is in serious trouble, nature and biodiversity are in accelerating decline, and humanity’s toxic trail of pollution and waste is growing. Our unsustainable consumption and production is the core driver of these crises.
Have you ever wondered where the 11 million tonnes of plastic that enters our oceans every year comes from and how it got there? In this video, learn why measuring plastic waste and pinpointing how it travels from ‘land to sea’ is crucial in identifying the best measures to tackle marine plastic litter for your city or region.
Minerals and other Earth materials are a key component in the development of a sustainable global society, providing essential raw materials for technologies and economic growth while respecting the natural world. This programme of lectures, designed for a global audience, will provide diverse perspectives on Earth materials and their role in society.
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues of our decade as the production of this “durable and convenient” item has increased rapidly to fulfill the global demand. Every day, we see plastic being used across almost all aspects of our lives. From food wrappers to straws and plastic bags, it seems practically impossible for us to avoid plastic usage altogether. But is it really that way? Is plastic really unavoidable?
With a population of 250 million, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country and second-largest plastic polluter in the world after China. The country produces 3.2 million tonnes of unmanaged plastic waste a year, of which about 1.29 million tonnes ends up in the sea (Jambeck, 2015). In addition, approximately 10 billion plastic carry bags, equal to 85,000 tonnes, are released into its local environment each year (MoEF, 2018). This unmanaged plastic waste has also affected Indonesian rivers and the ocean.
SEA of Solutions 2019 is the first annual partnership week convened by SEA circular.
SEA circular is an initiative from the UN Environment Programme and the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA) to inspire market-based solutions and encourage enabling policies to solve marine plastic pollution at source.
The Circular and Biomimicry Built Environment Group has opened on the SDG Community of Practice! This Group is a collaborative space for Circular and Biomimicry Build Environment enthusiasts under the SDGs.
India seeks to improve rural connectivity through the Rural Road Program or Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadhak Yojana (PMGSY). This working paper highlights how PMGSY has addressed challenges through the use of upcycled plastic waste.
The overall implementation of PMGSY has faced several challenges mostly associated with cost, availability of materials, technology readiness, and restricted specifications. One innovative way by which the Government of India is addressing these challenges is through the use of plastic waste as an alternative material for rural road construction.