Event: Plastic Waste in Mountains | Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues & International Mountain Day | 10 December 2021

The event will take place online, kindly register here directly on the Webexplatform

While much attention in recent years has focused on the impacts of plastic waste on the world’s oceans, pollution in mountain regions has rarely made the headlines. Meanwhile, plastic is the most common type of waste found in mountains. The rapid increase of plastic waste in these region is drive, to a large extent, by tourism. While tourism is an important source of income especially for developing countries, its plastic waste footprint tends to far exceed that of local populations, thus becoming high priority for those countries. Adding to the plastic waste burden that mountains are already shouldering, is the spread of microplastics, which travel long distances and often end up on mountains like the Tibetan Plateau, the Alps or the Rockies.

Meanwhile, mountainous regions face specific challenges in addressing plastic waste due to their remoteness, limited access to human and financial resources, lack of economies of scale, and challenging natural conditions. Many mountainous regions, especially in developing countries, have limited capacity and infrastructure to prevent the generation of plastic waste and ensure its environmentally sound management. This often leads to open burning and dumping.

Yet, success stories and innovative approaches exist and are already being implemented across the world, including the remotest mountains: Garbage declaration and clearance systems for mountain expeditions, community-run collection centers, recycling of bottles into ponchillas, engaging mountaineers in cleanup operations, and full-cycle infrastructure for waste-sorting and management in national parks.

On the occasion of the International Mountain Day on 11 December, this dialogue provides an opportunity to put mountains in the spotlight of the global efforts to address plastic pollution. It will serve as an opportunity to present the key conclusions of a draft report being finalized under the project Plastic Waste in Remote and Mountainous Areas (financed by the Governments of Norway and France), captivating findings of the 2021 Global Mountain Waste Survey, 10 steps to be a Mountain Hero and compelling insights of mountaineers. The speakers will address the following topics:

• Drivers and status of plastic pollution in the mountains
• Challenges faced by mountain communities in managing plastic waste
• Local, national and global success stories in plastic waste management in the mountains
• The role of mountaineers in tackling plastic waste
• What individuals and communities can do for clean mountains
• Recommendations to strengthen plastic waste management in the mountains

REGISTRATION

The event will take place online, kindly register here directly on the Webexplatform