Amir Khan said that production of billions of tons of waste annually is a result of societies becoming more & more consumption-driven & contributing to excessive consumerism.
On the first-ever International Day of Zero Waste, Pakistan emphasised the need for improved international partnerships centred on technology transfer, capacity building, and financing to move towards “zero waste.”
Speaking at the UN General Assembly on the role of zero waste as a transformative solution in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, Amir Khan, Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN, made the call.
The purpose of the high-level gathering was to increase public awareness of the urgent need to move towards a “green” and circular economy that supports sustainable consumption and production habits. Governments could save billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs as a result of the decision.
According to Amir Khan, the production of billions of tonnes of waste annually is a result of societies becoming more and more consumption-driven and contributing to excessive consumerism.
Every year, Pakistan produces 30 million tonnes of municipal solid waste, of which 10 to 14% are hazardous waste, including pesticides and e-waste. Additionally, Pakistan imports 80,000 tonnes or more of hazardous waste annually from various regions of the world.
According to Amir Khan, Pakistan is successfully putting into practise the National Hazardous Waste Management Policy 2022, which will strengthen institutional frameworks, institutional transparency, a national action plan, and governance infrastructure for the regulation of hazardous waste both inside the nation and across international borders.
The ambassador of Pakistan also sent his condolences to Turkiye, the event’s organiser, for the tragic deaths brought on by the earthquake. He also expressed his gratitude to Mrs. Emine Erdogan, First Lady of Turkey, for her advocacy on this matter.
On the first-ever International Day of Zero Waste, UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared that the world is literally drowning in trash and that it is time to clean up.
Additionally, the Secretary-General urged nations to draw inspiration from initiatives like Turkey’s Zero Waste Project, which is led by the country’s first lady, Emine Erdoan, who also serves as the chair of his recently created Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste.
Mrs. Erdoan, who gave the keynote speech, pointed out that although all life on earth is interconnected, industrialization has resulted in excessive consumption that is polluting the environment.
The international organisation is urging a shift in how society manages waste and increasing knowledge of how zero-waste initiatives advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Governments were informed by the experts present at the meeting that effective waste management could result in billions of dollars in cost savings and tens of thousands of new jobs.