The Conversation. Nikkei Asian Review, now known as Nikkei Asia, will be the voice of the Asian Century. Already the effect is felt worldwide. A global problem requires a global solution, and when it comes to protecting the environment for future generations, some countries are doing more than others. Gifts are cocooned in layers of decorative packaging. Reducing plastic bag consumption makes financial sense, too. The good news is that in the years since 24/7 Wall St. last reported on the countries doing the least to protect the environment, Chad has increased its terrestrial and marine-protected areas — from 17.8% of land to 20.4% today. Buy a sausage roll, and your snack is likely to be covered with transparent plastic, placed in a paper bag, and then gently inserted into a plastic carrying bag. Very few people in the country have access to electricity, so most meals are prepared on wood fires. The UN has compiled a list of what each of these countries is doing – and the success they are having – in a new report called Single-use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability. © Reuters. protection: 20.4% TOKYO -- For newcomers to Japan, the biggest surprise may be the meticulous way garbage is sorted. In December 1994, an action plan called "the Basic Environment Plan" is adopted. exposed to unsafe air pollution levels: 100.0% There’s a clear link between a nation’s wealth and its ability to protect the environment, so it’s no surprise that Sao Tome and Principe, with its tiny per capita GDP of just over $3,000, ranks among the worst in the world. Sign up to our newsletters to get our best stories delivered straight to your inbox. The Basic Environment Law and the Basic Environment Plan The Basic Environment Plan is based on the basic plan for environmental conservation Article 15, The Basic Environment Law, and was decided by the cabinet while consulting the Central Environment Council. About 50% of the land is used for agriculture in this small island nation that is less than 1,000 square kilometers, roughly five times larger than Washington D.C. The ubiquity of convenience stores in the capital gives the industry considerable clout to push back against a ban. Three of the most widely used plastic materials are more expensive than they used to be, due to higher crude oil prices and stricter environmental regulations on factories in China. But while Japan is a country of religious trash sorters, there is another side to consumption here that negates such planet-friendly pursuits: overpackaging. South Sudan split off from Sudan in 2011, taking a big piece of oil revenue with it. The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) attempts to measure the extent to which countries implement policies to protect their natural environments, by calculating 20 separate indicators across … In doing so, it sought to end a debate that had been dragging on for years, caught in limbo between government advocates and corporate influences. to learn how you can update your cookie settings. Last year, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced its goal of getting all retailers to charge a small fee for plastic shopping bags by 2020. A civil war broke out in South Sudan in 2013, and Sudan has become a destination for refugees and asylum seekers. protection: 2.8% In December of the same year, the "National Action Plan for Agenda 21" was submitted to the United Nations. Koike is studying the case of France, which in 2016 banned retailers from distributing plastic bags thinner than 50 micrometers. Some stores have already embraced the change, including supermarket chains Aeon, Ito-Yokado and OK Store. exposed to unsafe air pollution levels: … Guinea-Bissau protection: 0.2% 12. > GDP per capita: $3,053. The West African country has been in chronic political turmoil since it gained independence in 1974. After all, few people carry a reusable shopping bag everywhere they go. Environmental protections are necessities that can feel like luxuries in desperately poor countries, where a large percentage of the population lacks regular access to food, potable water, and basic sanitation. And the smoke from the wood fires takes its toll on air quality, releasing hundreds of substances into the air, including particulates, soot, carcinogens, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons, leading to lung disease, with women and children particularly susceptible. Some of the most outspoken opponents of the move are convenience stores. Situated off the west coast of Africa, Sao Tome and Principe’s environmental challenges include deforestation, soil erosion, and inadequate treatment of sewage in urban areas. Environmental contradictions start with the humble plastic bag. Malawi Addressing the plastic bag issue may be only a small step toward sustainable living, but it presents a valuable opportunity to examine other wasteful practices and further lighten the country's environmental footprint. "This is why a nationwide ban on free bags is needed," Yasuo Furusawa, director for sustainable materials management at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, told the Nikkei Asian Review. Sudan is a nation in turmoil. Progress seems to be on the horizon, with a new round of discussions between the two sides scheduled for this fall. In the last month alone, the price of high-density polyethylene has risen 5%, to $1,105 a ton. Add political instability to the equation and it’s easy to imagine sustainability and green policies sliding down the priority list. 11. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi), In Japan, it is common to package an item in multiple layers of plastic. The demand for wood and charcoal contributes to deforestation, with an estimated 3% of Malawi’s forests lost each year. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. Countries Doing the Least to Protect the Environment, 15. Japan's household carbon dioxide emissions have increased an estimated 40% since 1990. Nikkei Inc. No reproduction without permission. Guinea-Bissau fits that description, with almost 70% of the population living below the poverty line and as much as half of the population food-insecure in some regions. Chad’s environmental goals include reducing air pollution from vehicle emissions, dropping lead levels in fuel, and lowering emissions from biomass burning. Countries Doing the Least to Protect the Environment Source: EPasqualli / Getty Images 15. > Pop. Houses are rebuilt every 30 to 40 years. Evidence of Japan's throwaway tendencies is everywhere: Produce in grocery stores is individually wrapped. It's much better than plastic bags you receive at supermarkets, or wrapping paper, since it's highly resistant, reusable and multipurpose. Protecting the environment is a theme that runs through many of the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development, from combating climate change to safeguarding the world’s forests and oceans.. Furusawa estimates the average Tokyoite uses around 200 bags per year.
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