FERA Calls For Global Action To End Plastic Pollution

As nations around the world marked 2025 World Environment Day, the Foundation for Earth Rights Assembly (FERA) has called for urgent and decisive action to eliminate plastic pollution.
At a press briefing in Benin City, Edo State, FERA’s Executive Director, Nosa Tokunbor, emphasized the gravity of the crisis, noting that this year’s theme, “End Plastic Pollution,” reflects growing concern over the environmental and health hazards posed by plastics.
“Plastic pollution is no longer a distant threat it’s everywhere, even in our bodies in the form of microplastics,” Tokunbor said.
“The global production of plastics hit 413.8 million metric tons in 2023, and around 400 million tonnes of plastic waste were generated just last year. Without bold intervention, plastic waste in aquatic ecosystems could nearly triple by 2040.”
He painted a sobering picture of the situation in Nigeria, where less than 12 percent of plastic waste is recycled. With just eight plastic recovery facilities nationwide, the country is struggling to manage its growing waste problem. Alarmingly, three of the world’s 20 most plastic-polluted rivers flow through Nigeria, according to the World Bank.
Tokunbor highlighted international efforts to address the crisis, including the Basel Convention, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the UNEP Regional Seas Programme, which are laying the groundwork for a global treaty to end plastic pollution.
“Ending plastic pollution requires ambitious policies,” he stated. “While the cost of implementing solutions is modest on a global scale, the burden will not be evenly shared. Nonetheless, we must act.”
FERA is calling for urgent reforms, including banning single-use plastics, redesigning products for durability, and promoting circular economy models.