Belmonte calls for a global plastics pact.

Plastics are one of the biggest wastes we all face every single day and this is alarming because a day or 2 we are filled with plastics everywhere. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has joined the global push for an international pact to fight plastic waste.

“While we as cities are proud of our respective achievements, we recognize that we cannot address the plastic waste crisis alone. We need a truly ambitious global plastics treaty that unifies our efforts and sets a high bar for all nations to follow,” Belmonte said in her speech on Saturday at a global forum to address the plastic waste crisis.

Belmonte was chosen as the lone representative of municipal chief executives globally at a high-level gathering hosted by the French government and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Paris, France.

World mayors want a UN Plastic Treaty to ban unnecessary plastics, adopt reusable items, create a financial mechanism, and strengthen collaboration with cities.

Meanwhile, Belmonte asked international city mayors to continue working on their various strategies to fight plastic pollution in their communities.

“Let us recognize the power of cities, acknowledge our accomplishments, and empower us with the necessary tools to continue championing the call against plastic pollution. Together, we can forge a future where this is but a distant memory, and our planet thrives in its full glory,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte cited measures implemented by the Quebec government to combat plastic pollution, such as banning single-use plastic bags in restaurants and fast food chains, banning single-use containers and sachets in hotels, and the "Trash to Cashback" program to recover plastic waste from the waste stream.