Marine litter a global challenge – EU Ambassador

Mrs Diana Acconcia, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Ghana, has said marine plastic littering remains a major challenge in the fight against plastic waste worldwide.

This, she noted, was a major threat to biodiversity, and exposed the world to bad effects of climate change.

The Ambassador made these remarks at the EU Beach Cleanup exercise at James Town in Accra.

It was held in partnership Plastic Punch, a non-governmental organisation, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Mrs Acconcia said every year eight million tonnes of trash ended up in the ocean with plastics accounting for 85 per cent of marine litter, having negative impacts on ecosystems, biodiversity and human health.

She said plastic management should be a concern for all, since it contributed largely to marine litter.

“It is estimated that by 2050 there could be more plastics than fish in the sea,” she said.

The EU was leading the way with the new single-use plastics legislation to address 70 per cent of marine litter, she said.

“Plastics play an important role in our economy and our daily lives, but the way plastic products are designed, produced, used and discarded is harming the environment all around the world,” she added.

Mrs Acconcia, therefore, called on producers and users to avoid single-use plastics, and patronize those that could be reused and recycled to avoid environmental degradation.

Ms Victoria Michaels, a Model, who is also the brand ambassador for the EU GHANA cleanup exercise, expressed gratitude to all volunteers and groups for participating in the exercise.

She said the beach cleanup was timely and called on all Ghanaians to actively participate to make it a success.

Ms Michaels said she was glad to join the cleanup as she was a climate change activist to help mitigate its adverse effects.

She called on all Ghanaians to commit themselves to a clean environment, especially at tourist sites, saying; “A clean Ghana is a Better Ghana.”