India will be happy to join France in launching global initiative on single-use plastic: PM Modi
New Delhi, Feb 11 (Agency) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India is committed to eliminating single-use plastic and would be happy to join France in launching a global initiative on single use plastics. In his message to the One Ocean Summit, hosted by France, the Prime Minister also said that India supports the French initiative of a ”High Ambition Coalition on Bio-diversity Beyond National Jurisdiction” and that India hopes for a legally binding international treaty this year. In a video message, PM Modi congratulated French President Emmanuel Macron on holding the Summit, and described it as an important global initiative for the oceans.
“India has always been a maritime civilization. Our ancient scriptures and literature talk about the gifts of the oceans including marine life. Today, our security and prosperity are linked to oceans,” he said The PM said that India’s ”Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative” contains marine resources as a key pillar. “India supports the French initiative of a ”High Ambition Coalition on Bio-diversity Beyond National Jurisdiction ”. “We hope for a legally binding international treaty this year.” The PM said that India is committed to eliminating single-use plastic and it recently undertook a nation-wide awareness campaign to clean plastic and other waste from coastal areas. “Three hundred thousand young people collected almost 13 tons of plastic waste. I have also directed our Navy to contribute100 ship-days this year to cleaning plastic waste from the seas,” he added. “India will be happy to join France in launching a global initiative on single use plastics.”
At the summit, being held in Brest, France, a high ambition Coalition on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) was launched. The coalition gathers parties which are committed, at the highest political level, to achieve an ambitious outcome of the ongoing negotiations on a Treaty of the High Seas (“the implementing agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction”), under the auspices of the United Nations. The negotiations are centered around a package of elements agreed upon by the UN General Assembly, which include: the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, in particular, together and as a whole, marine genetic resources, including questions on the sharing of benefits; area-based management tools, including marine protected areas; environmental impact assessments and capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology. It will achieve a more holistic management of high seas activities, which should better balance the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.