SAN FRANCISCO: When Erik Solheim, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, was in Mumbai a few months ago, he went around the city to buy plastic cutlery for a video to demonstrate the need to do away with it.“Most shops we visited said if you want plastic cutlery you need to go to another state. Probably, one could get it somewhere else but the shops we visited said they did not sell plastic as it is prohibited,” said Solheim ahead of the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) 2018 in San Francisco on Tuesday.Solheim called the policies implemented in Maharashtra to beat plastic pollution “absolutely remarkable”.“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to eliminate single-use plastic by 2022, which is an extremely brave promise,” he said.The March 23 notification, brought out under the Maharashtra Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act 2006, banned the manufacture, sale, transport, storage and use of plastic. From June 23, civic inspectors took to the streets to penalize those found using plastic.Several critics, though, have called the implementation of the policy poor as single-use plastic can still be found in markets. To this, Solheim said the results of plastic reduction would take some time to be felt and cannot be expected in one day.Meanwhile, when asked what was the one thing that needs to be done to improve implementation of the ban, he told TOI that there was a need for a better return systems.“For instance, take the case of milk pouches. If you put a small levy on them, they will be brought in and can be recycled. When there is zero value, people just throw them away but even if you put a Re 1 levy, they will be returned,” he said.GCAS 2018 is bringing together leaders, experts and civil society members together from around the world to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of states, regions, cities, companies and citizens with respect to climate action. It will also witness deeper worldwide commitments to put the globe on track and to prevent climate change Meanwhile, referring to his recent meeting with companies such as Apple and Google, Solheim said he was glad to hear them wanting to make their businesses environment friendly. “There is a link between development and economy that cannot be separated. You do not have a choice. Therefore we need to have a recycling economy and those companies that produce plastic must be made responsible for recycling it as well,” he said, adding how countries today must focus on triple-win policies for economic, social and environment growth.