The Indian government has pledged to ban all single-use plastics by 2022, in a move which has been welcomed by both the United Nations and grassroots groups.

The UN environment agency described the policy as “unprecedented”. It was announced during a World Environment Day summit hosted by the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi.

India was providing “global leadership” where the rest of the world was falling short, said UN Environment chief Erik Solheim. A new report from the agency highlighted more than 50 nations taking some action to tackle plastics, but added that much more needed to be done.

In some countries – India among them – rules exist but are not always enforced. In others, pledges have been criticised for not going far enough. Theresa May declared earlier this year that the UK would eliminate avoidable plastic waste – where it is “economically practical” to do so – by 2042.

Harsh Vardhan, the Indian environment minister, used the summit in New Delhi to announce “on a personal front” that he would give up single-use plastic in his own daily life.

And speaking for the government, he said: “On this historic occasion we make a solemn pledge that by 2022 we shall eliminate all single-use plastics from our beautiful country.” He described the policy as part of Mr Modi’s vision to create the “India of our dreams”.

India’s 1.3 billion population currently produces 25,000 metric tons of plastic per day. The government claims that around 60 per cent of that is recycled, but civil society groups put the figure closer to 40 per cent.

“The choices that we make today will define our collective future,” Mr Modi told the summit.

“The choices may not be easy. But through awareness, technology and a genuine global partnership, I am sure we can make the right choices. Let us all join together to beat plastic pollution and make this planet a better place to live.”

Plastic pollution blights India’s cities and towns, but also key tourist attractions, historic landmarks and coastal resorts. Mr Modi announced that 100 national monuments – including the Taj Mahal – would be made litter-free.

And he also used World Environment Day to announce that India would be joining the UN’s Clean Seas campaign, which will establish programmes to monitor and tackle pollution along the country’s 7,500km coastline.

Achieving zero single-use plastics by 2022 may actually be more achievable than it first appears. Both Mr Solheim and Mr Vardhan noted that India has “a long history of sustainable lifestyles”.

The pledge is also seen as referring to evidently wasteful items such as plastic straws, cutlery and ultra-thin bags, all of which have established sustainable alternatives.

It is not seen as including so-called “multi-layered packaging” – things like chocolate bar wrappers and crisp packets, which use plastic in tandem with other materials and which are much more difficult to replace.

Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Show all 6 1 /6 Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Plastic water bottle for a reusable beverage container Instead of continually buying drinks in plastic bottles you can switch to a reusable beverage container and reduce your single-use of plastics. Selfridges' Bobble 550ml filtered water bottle costs £12.95 and includes a replaceable carbon filter that filters water as you drink, removing chlorine and organic contaminants in the process. You can buy it from selfridges.com Getty/Selfridges Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Coffee cup for a Travel coffee mug It is estimated that the UK throws away around 2.5bn disposable coffee cups a year and almost all are incinerated, exported or sent to landfill because their plastic lining makes them expensive to recycle. The new Latte Levy in the UK means there will now be a 25p charge on every disposable coffee cup bought by consumers. Pret A Manger announced that it will double its discount to 50p in an effort to reduce waste. By swapping to a reusable cup you will be able to help cut the cost of disposable coffee cups. This Keep Cup Brew, cork edition, travel cup in Fika is just one of the many available to purchase. It fits under most commercial coffee machines, is splash-proof and ideal for transporting your coffee whilst on the go. You can buy this particular cup for £19.99 from trouva.com. Getty/Trouva Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Plastic bags for reusable cloth bags An eco-friendly alternative to an ordinary plastic bag is this lightweight shopping bag. It comes with a practical pillowcase pocket and features a black and white ink splatter design. Convenient and durable it also has a matte black spring clip to attach it where you need it. You can buy this from paperchase.co.uk for just £5.00. Getty/Paperchase Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Coffee pods for a pot of coffee Cut your plastic coffee pod usage with a cafetiere. This Barista and Co, 3 Cup Gold Cafetiere, from Habitat offers a simple way to brew and serve in style. Made from borosilicate glass and plated stainless steel with an ergonomically designed handle, the cafetiere is built to last and a pleasure to use; a fine metal filter produces a smooth coffee that retains its natural oils. You can buy it for £30 from habitat.co.uk. Getty/Habitat Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Balloons for eco-friendly decorations Instead of using plastic balloons at your party try swapping them for some eco-friendly bunting. Handmade in Scotland, the bunting comprises thirteen brightly coloured pennants which spell out the words 'Happy Birthday', and uses lettering that has been printed onto 100 per cent recycled card. Included is 11ft of natural jute twine to hang the pennants on, and everything comes packaged in a cello bag. You can buy this bunting from Little Silverleaf on notonthehighstreet.com for £12.50. Getty/notonthehighstreet Ways to reduce your single-use plastic Plastic straw for a reusable bamboo one Swap plastic straws for reusable ones made of bamboo. These straws are handmade in Bali and crafted by local balinese artisans. Made of organic and natural materials they are the best eco-friendly alternative to plastic, steel or glass straws. You can purchase them from Bali Boo on Amazon.co.uk for £13.99. PA/Bali Boo/Amazon

Nonetheless, the pledge was welcomed by Chintan, a Delhi-based NGO fighting for sustainable consumption. Rajat Rai Handa, the group’s advocacy manager, told The Independent it was “ambitious… but I would not say impossible”.