More and more people are thinking about protecting the environment and what ordinary citizens can do to save the planet for future generations. The problem of emissions of harmful gases remains relevant, and many countries have begun to pass laws aimed at reducing the volume of harmful emissions. Here are 5 laws transforming environmental protection in the world.
Restrictions on disposable plastics are increasingly prevalent.
Every minute, enough garbage enters the world's oceans to fill the volume of one truck. That's why countries around the world are actively working to decrease the utilization of disposable plastic.. We are talking about plastic bags, bottles, and packaging materials, whose use leads to levels of pollution that require urgent action. Countries that have implemented single-use plastic bans include Rwanda, France, India, Jamaica, Taiwan, Morocco, Kenya and many others. According to the UN, 127 countries have already introduced or are planning to introduce a ban on the utilization of disposable plastic . The European Union additionally, recently enacted laws prohibit the production of 10 types of goods starting in 2021. The purpose of this law is to get rid of these products and replace them with more environmentally friendly materials.
Car bans: Many cities implement zones free of vehicles or days
Numerous cities worldwide have begun to introduce pedestrian zones that are completely devoid of car traffic. In addition, some cities have gone further by introducing temporary periods when cars are prohibited, and these periods are becoming longer. For example, some islands in Croatia and some towns in Switzerland are completely car-free. At the same time, many other cities and villages are banning cars on certain days. These laws are aimed at protecting the safety of pedestrians and decreasing the release of harmful gases into the atmosphere. It turned out that such laws can be very effective. For example, Beijing restricted car use on certain days of the week, resulting in a reduction in emissions by about 9%. However, a similar law introduced in Mexico City, the Mexican capital, was not so successful.
Norway's efforts to combat deforestation
Forests are disappearing at a high rate, driven by mining and agriculture. This decrease in forest land leads to serious environmental consequences, such as changes in ecosystems andescalated discharge of harmful substances into the air , which also affects climate change. In 2016, Norway passed a zero-deforestation law that bans the import of goods associated with cutting down trees. The government also lost the ability to enter intoagreements with firms engaged in deforestation. Therefore, Norway became the inaugural nation to implement such legislation.
Fighting food waste: France introduces new rules for supermarkets
Approximately a third of all food grown in the world will eventually be wasted. In France, about 7 million tons of food waste are thrown away every year, according to Deutsche Welle. To reduce the amount of food wasted, France passed a law in 2016 requiring supermarkets to send unsold food to those in need. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in a fine of €3,750.
China introduced emissions reduction policies in 2017
China has implemented a carbon trading system. Although this system varies slightly in different regions of the country, its general essence is that companies and organizations in various sectors can purchase a certain number of allowances for the permitted level of emissions. At the same time, they have the opportunity to sell and buy these quotas among themselves. China launched a cap-and-trade program in 2017 as part of a strategy to reduce pollution in the country. It is noted that China is the largest consumer of coal in the world, burning about half of the global volume of coal annually. This law primarily applies to companies whose annual CO2 emissions exceed 26 thousand tons.
