The pledge aims to unite the global tourism sector around a common vision to tackle the causes of plastic pollution
IBIZA, 05-06-2022 – On World Environment Day, the environmental foundation IbizaPreservation has announced its adhesion to the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the United Nations Environmental Programme and the World Toursim Organisation in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
This Initiative unites the global tourism sector around a common vision to address the root causes of plastic pollution and enables companies and governments to take concerted action, leading by example in the shift towards circularity in the use of plastics.
As a not-for-profit organisation, IbizaPreservation has joined the movement as a supporter organisation, which involves a commitment to take action to achieve the following milestones by 2025:
- Eliminate unnecessary packaging and plastic items;
- Take measures to move from single-use models to reuse or reusable alternatives;
- Engage the value chain to achieve 100% reusable, recyclable or genuinely compostable plastic packaging;
- Encourage an increase in the volume of recycled content in all plastic packaging and articles used;
- Collaborate to increase the recycling and composting rates of plastics;
- Inform the public on the progress made towards achieving these objectives.
“Joining this initiative is a natural step for our organisation after the work we have been doing for years as members and promoters of the Plastic Free Ibiza and Formentera alliance,” said Inma Saranova, executive director of the foundation, who added that, “the fight against plastic pollution must be a priority after recent studies have shown that plastic has even found its way into our bodies.”
Developed within the framework of the Sustainable Tourism Programme of the One Planet network, a partnership with several entities interested in implementing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal number 12 on sustainable consumption and production, the initiative aims to prevent plastic from becoming a pollutant and, at the same time, reduce the production of new plastic.
In order to make this vision a reality, the organisers are calling for tourism companies to unite and take coordinated and concerted action so that the sector itself helps to preserve and protect the destinations, not only for the good of the environment but also for the community and the local economy.
Expected benefits include: a reduction in landfill, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions; increased awareness among both company staff and customers of the need to eliminate single-use plastics; increased production and innovation of more sustainable and reusable alternatives; improvements in local waste infrastructure and community facilities; and the creation of more sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyles.
The initiative also acts as the tourism sector’s interface to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, which brings together over 450 companies, governments and other organisations around a common vision and goals to tackle plastic waste and pollution at source. The initiative aims to put the vision, framework and definitions of the New Plastics Economy into practice, to mobilise the global tourism sector towards meaningful and concerted action against plastic pollution.
