‘Versova clean­-up a global inspiration’

MUMBAI: As Versova residents gear up for a beach cleaning drive next weekend — marking their 50th week of beach clean-ups — Erik Solheim , executive director, United

MUMBAI: As Versova residents gear up for a beach cleaning drive next weekend — marking their 50th week of beach clean-ups — Erik Solheim , executive director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and his team will join the group to campaign for cleaner oceans.

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In an exclusive interview, Solheim spoke about the problem of marine litter and measures to resolve it.

What drew your attention to this beach clean­-up in Mumbai?

UN Environment’s Patron of the Oceans, Lewis Pugh, joined the clean-up last month and said the experience was both shocking, because of the scale of the problem, and inspiring, because of the community action being taken. So, getting to Mumbai has been a top priority for me.

How is marine ecology suffering due to plastic pollution?

The marine litter issue is an unmitigated environmental disaster and a high a priority for UN Environment. The health of hundreds of marine species, the health of a key food chain and the security of more than 50 million jobs is at stake. If we don’t stop this, we may end up with more plastic rubbish than fish in the seas.

What makes a beach clean-­up successful?

It’s about standing up to apathy and despondency. It’s about the simple need to live in a place where we can take our children out on a weekend to play on a clean beach.

How does a citizen­initiative help mitigate the problem of marine litter?

What the Versova Resident Volunteers are doing is important. By getting out there and breaking records, they are shining a light on a huge issue that deserves far more global attention. They’re sending a powerful message that encapsulates community, environmental awareness and action.

What do you plan to do during the clean-­up?

It is important to see these kind of problems firsthand, but also to get results. It will be an honour for me to stand alongside the Versova Resident Volunteers.

What implications will the clean­-up have on a global level?

What is happening in Mumbai has the potential to inspire people far beyond India and Asia. People can reach the conclusion that this junk should not be in the sea in the first place. This means making different choices about how we consume and handle our own rubbish.