Zimbabwe: Zim Commits to Ocean Preservation

Zimbabwe is committed to contributing fully towards global efforts to conserve oceans and the planet earth through instituting measures to reduce plastic pollution, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Mangaliso Ndlovu, has said.

He made the remarks on Tuesday at the United Nations conference to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14, which aims to conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Portugal and Kenya are co-hosting the conference, which provides an opportunity to deliberate on the preservation of oceans.

Minister Ndlovu, who was representing President Mnangagwa, said the Covid-19 pandemic had not only set the world back in the implementation of SDG14, but had led to an increase in demand for single-use plastics such as masks and gloves, which intensified pressure on the marine environment.

He said to address the challenge, there was a need for further promotion of sustainable production and consumption patterns, together with marine litter management and solid waste prevention at the source, through the development of new and innovative strategies.

"Zimbabwe is committed to fully contribute towards global efforts to conserve our oceans and our planet earth, through instituting measures to reduce plastic pollution," said Minister Ndlovu.

"We have taken steps to ensure that waste, along the plastic life cycle, is addressed. My country now has a vibrant plastic industry which contributes to recycling of plastic waste, and improved livelihoods.

"We have also begun phasing down the usage of single use plastics with the hope of phasing them out by the end of 2023."

Zimbabwe, said Minister Ndlovu, welcomes the landmark mandate calling for the development of a global treaty on plastics adopted at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2), which lays the groundwork to negotiate a comprehensive treaty.

He added that the conference had recognised the link between the ocean and the climate, as solving the problem of the oceans will also deal with the climate.

"In the same vein, we cannot solve the problem of the climate without dealing with the ocean because it is the great climate regulator through carbon sequestration."

Minister Ndlovu said while Zimbabwe was landlocked, it remains part of the discourse on the health of the ocean "and is equally concerned as the ocean provides all of us with vital services and products, and must be managed sustainably, for future generations."

In pursuit of the objectives of the ambitious 2030 agenda for sustainable development, and belief of leaving no one behind, Zimbabwe continues to implement policies and regulatory mechanisms geared at accelerating the achievement of all the 17 SDGs, with equal emphasis being placed on SDG 14.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), gives landlocked States the right to access the oceans, as well as the right to participate on an equitable basis, in the exploitation of the surplus from the living resources.

But Minister Ndlovu said Zimbabwe was saddened that the participation of landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) in the ocean economy remains marginal, partly due to poorly developed transit and transport systems, limited resources, lack of awareness, as well as limited access to the sea.

"It is imperative that the participation of landlocked developing countries in the ocean-based economies is enhanced as a matter of urgency.

"In this regard, awareness raising, financial support, capacity building, technology and information transfer should be extended to landlocked developing countries, to ensure an inclusive approach to the implementation of SDG 14 and being true to the dictates of leaving no one behind," he said.

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