Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, marked a significant milestone with her impactful participation in the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution and WWF International Briefing held in Paris, France. The High Ambition Briefing, which took place recently, marks a significant step towards developing the "Zero Draft" of the proposed treaty text to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, ahead of the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) meeting from 29th May – 2nd June. It is an essential precursor to the formal INC-2 meeting. Attendees included government ministers, business leaders, civil society representatives, and key stakeholders to crystallise a shared vision for an ambitious and effective treaty to end plastic pollution.

In her address, HE Mariam Almheiri reiterated the UAE's commitment to combating plastic pollution; she said: "We know plastic pollution is an epidemic, but together, we can take pragmatic action to reduce it over the next few decades. With the High Ambition Coalition, we need to agree on enforcing a circular approach that ensures effective interventions along the full lifecycle of plastics. This includes maximising resource efficiency in production, boosting supply of recyclable plastics, increasing recycled content, promoting responsible consumption, and implementing environmentally sound management and recycling of plastic waste."

Minister Almheiri highlighted the urgency to reduce primary plastic production and consumption to sustainable levels, citing the planet’s triple challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

HE Almheiri said: "Addressing demand is key in our fight against plastic pollution. We must strive towards waste minimisation and environmentally sound collection, sorting and preparation for reuse and recycling of plastic waste. We can then re-enter recycled plastics into a circular plastic economy and avoid leakage to the environment. We must also work towards identifying and clarifying the term 'problematic plastics’. This is a critical step as it shapes national policies."

Minister Almheiri announced the UAE's recent decree banning six single-use plastics, a regulatory measure aligned with worldwide efforts to eliminate plastic packaging, and starting January 2024, there will be a blanket ban on single-use plastic bags in the UAE. She also shared the UAE's proactive initiatives, such as establishing the Circular Economy Policy and a packaging association involving key private sector players. These initiatives advance research and development across the plastic lifecycle and promote circular economy principles.

Ahead of the upcoming COP28, to be hosted by the UAE in Dubai Expo City from November – December this year, Minister Almheiri reiterated the country's commitment to driving action, focusing on mitigation, adaptation, and financing of ambitious global plans to manage and reduce climate change effects.

This High Ambition Briefing engagement by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment further enhances the UAE's position as a global leader in sustainability, underlining its commitment to the United Nations' Year of Sustainability and its proactive role in the run-up to COP28.