Through the UK Sustainable Blue Economies Programme, the UK has funded the development of policy strategies to reduce plastic pollution over the coming decade across 5 Small Island Developing States (SIDS), including Grenada.
This support has been delivered through nonprofit Common Seas and forms part of the UK government’s broader commitment to supporting SIDS economic and climate resilience. Other SIDS benefitting are Guinea-Bissau, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and St Lucia.
Following multistakeholder engagement in Grenada and through a partnership with Grenada’s Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy, Common Seas has produced a detailed Report on Recommendations for Grenada that can be found here.
Common Seas established a plastic pollution baseline, building on existing initiatives, following literature review, additional research, targeted interviews and market data. Their UN-endorsed Plastic Drawdown tool was then used to estimate plastic pollution growth in the coming 10 years and model the most effective policy interventions.
Key strategies recommended to achieve up to 79% (352 tonnes each year) reduction in plastic pollution in Grenada include:
- Tackling plastic water bottles (e.g. enhancing Deposit Return Scheme, providing water refill points, phased ban on single-use plastic bottles)
- Tackling other types of single use plastics (e.g. tax single-use plastic bags and food packaging, refill system for food takeaway)
- Source segregation (separation of plastic waste)
- Improving on-the-go waste collection and tackling littering (e.g. increased enforcement and enhanced waste collection and recycling)
- Improving solid waste management and wastewater systems (e.g. improve household waste collections, enhance standards for waste transportation, storage and handling, and improved screening)
Tim Hemmings, UK Special Envoy for Small Island Developing States, said: “The UK is proud to stand with Small Island Developing States as they work to protect their ocean environments and build resilient, sustainable blue economies. Under our refreshed partnership, we are committed to supporting SIDS in strengthening ocean protection and safeguarding the natural resources that are vital to their prosperity. This includes working closely with island nations to tackle the growing threat of plastic pollution and preserve the health of their marine ecosystems for generations to come.”
Thais Vojvodic, Director of Partnerships at Common Seas, said: “We are delighted to have co-developed ambitious policy reports that can enable our partners in Guinea-Bissau, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and St Lucia to radically reduce plastic pollution. By developing a deep understanding of the plastic pollution challenge in each country and identifying the most practical and impactful solutions to tackle it, SIDS can turn the tide on plastic pollution, drive blue economy resilience and protect their communities.”
UK High Commission, St George’s
