WSDS: India-Norway Project Exemplifies Science-Based Approach to Plastic and Chemical Waste
The 25th World Sustainable Development Summit highlighted the India-Norway INOPOL project as a model for tackling plastic and chemical pollution. This initiative tracks pollutants from land to sea, informing policy and strengthening environmental governance. Ministers from Norway and Tamil Nadu stressed scientific research and international cooperation, leading to reports like Tamil Nadu's Plastic Waste Strategy. The project, extended to 2030, demonstrates effective science-led solutions for complex environmental challenges, promoting stronger environmental rules and accountability through data-driven insights.
A thematic session at the 25th World Sustainable Development Summit underscored the critical role of scientific research and international cooperation in addressing plastic and chemical pollution. The session, focusing on the India-Norway INOPOL project, detailed findings on how plastic waste and persistent organic pollutants migrate from land into aquatic environments, posing significant risks. Norwegian Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen praised the marine litter partnership as a demonstration of sustained global cooperation, noting its extension to 2030 to continue supporting science-led, policy-driven solutions. Tamil Nadu Additional Chief Secretary Supriya Sahu emphasized the necessity of data-driven studies for effective policymaking, indicating that INOPOL's findings could enhance Tamil Nadu's comprehensive strategy against pollution, building on its 2018 single-use plastics ban. Officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change welcomed the project’s research-based recommendations as crucial for strengthening environmental regulation, monitoring, and compliance. Two key reports, a Plastic Waste Strategy for Tamil Nadu and an Action Plan for managing Persistent Organic Pollutants, were released, offering evidence-based guidance. Experts concurred that scientific evidence helps governments formulate robust environmental rules and supports legal action by clearly establishing pollution pathways. The initiative reflects a broader shift towards science-based environmental governance, improved regulatory enforcement, and greater accountability under environmental laws, with a panel of experts discussing the project's methodology, findings, and policy impact.
