The parliament has on Monday passed a resolution based on an appeal submitted by students from 17 schools, seeking to ban the use of single-use plastics by 2025.

While 65 MPs were in attendance during the vote, 64 voted in favor of the resolution; there were no abstentions or votes against.

Students representing 17 schools, and led by Ghiyasuddin School, approached the parliament back in June, with a proposal on ways to decrease or eliminate single-use plastics.

They met with parliament’s committee on environment and climate change, and presented their recommendations; Speaker Mohamed Nasheed attended this meeting. Their recommendations include, imposing a tax on plastic, raising its price so that it is no longer feasible to afford it, and conducting various awareness programmes.

The students also requested parliament to take necessary steps within their mandate to decrease plastic use.

Students from the schools were at the parliament gallery during the vote.