Ghana will become the first African country to sign up to the World Economic Forum’s Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP).
The partnership is intended to intensify commitment to tackling plastic pollution in coastal countries battling with waste management by introducing a circular economy, in which plastics are manufactured, used and reused sustainably. The GPAP was launched at the World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Summit 2018 in New York, during the UN General Assembly.
At the ongoing summit in Cape Town, the World Economic Forum (WEF) announced that Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo and Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng will formally announce the partnership in October.
As one of the world’s fastest growing economies, Ghana was praised by the Forum for being a regional leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.
‘At the same time, insufficient infrastructure to manage and reduce waste has led to unsustainable levels of pollution and leakage, putting the wellbeing of both Ghana’s people and biodiversity at risk. Urgent and collective action is needed to address this challenge,’ the WEF reported.
I am leaving Ghana 🇬🇭 after observing horrendous plastic pollution at beaches, in rivers and creeks.
Plastic waste is an economic, health and environment threat to this fantastic country. 😭
We will fight back paying pickers to collect plastic and turn it into diesel. 💪 pic.twitter.com/XgevIZbmxR— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) June 23, 2019
Ghana plans to fast-track addressing its pollution issue by working with public, private and civil society to develop a circular economy.
‘Our partnership with the Global Plastics Action Partnership will bring together new and existing efforts to spark off innovation and achieve progress at a tremendous scale,’ said Minister Frimpong-Boateng.
‘Ultimately, we hope that this will mark the beginning of a new era of action on plastic waste and pollution across the African continent.’
Ghana has already taken steps to curb plastic waste by implementing the National Plastics Management Policy which addresses the adoption of single-use plastics, and a number of circular economy and waste management initiatives have been established at a local level.
Image source: Pixabay
