According to sources the fund was announced by Theresa May ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London next week. Meanwhile the Prime Minister is due to ask all the 52 leaders at the meeting to sign up to the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance set up to help developing Commonwealth countries research and improve waste management. Moreover so far four Commonwealth countries, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Vanuatu and Ghana, have joined the UK in the alliance.
Media reports that the Government said £25m of the fund is available to help researchers investigate the issue of marine plastic from a scientific, economic and social perspective. Further another £20m has been earmarked to curb plastic and other environmental pollution generated by manufacturing in developing countries and prevent it seeping into oceans.
Furthermore that leaves £16.4m which will be spent
on improving waste management at a national and city level to stop plastics
entering the water. Presently the Government pledged to match public donations
to tackle plastic waste through the UK Aid Match up to a total of £5m.
Meanwhile Britain, which is co-chairing the event with Vanuatu, will ask
Commonwealth nations to follow the UK's lead in banning micro beads and
slashing the number of single use plastic bags.
