Interactive Dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment
Statement As Delivered by Ambassador Michèle Taylor
Human Rights Council – 49th Session
March 11, 2022
Thank you, Special Rapporteur Boyd, for your report on a non-toxic environment.
The United States shares your concerns about pervasive pollution that fouls our air, land, and oceans.
We also recognize that climate change and environmental degradation, including the negative effects of pollution, can affect the enjoyment of human rights.
We are particularly concerned by the plastic pollution that has spread to every corner of the planet – from the depths of the ocean to the highest mountains tops. It impacts habitats and species, and potentially human health, especially in marginalized and vulnerable communities.
We took action at the recent UN Environment Assembly to support a resolution that outlines a mandate for the negotiation of a global agreement to prevent, reduce, and eliminate plastic pollution.
We urge other nations to take immediate, concrete actions at the national level to protect the environment and address plastic and chemical pollution.
Question: What actions can countries take to address plastic pollution, taking into account national circumstances?
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