In March 2022, United Nations (UN) member states adopted a mandate to negotiate a Global Plastics Treaty at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2). This mandate: “End plastic pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument,” sets out goals and a date for the treaty to be negotiated; the end of 2024. Last year’s mandate set out a general framework for the general structure of however it is up to UN member states to hash out the content of the treaty in the meantime, a feat that sounds simple on paper, however given current political and geopolitical landscapes it will be anything but.
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If talks are successful, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) aims to begin setting up an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), whose function would be to spend two years establishing a legally-binding global plastics treaty.
What countries have met in Paris this week?
This is the second INC ( Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee) meeting, to officially negotiate a globally binding treaty with major stakeholders and nations is expected to draw in over 2,000 participants, including governments and observers from 200 countries. The event is taking place at and being hosted by UNESCO’s Paris based Headquarters.
Sticking points in negotiations
A key issue that has cropped up early in the meeting is issues around the voting system for countries on key decisions in the treaty which according to reports has produced ‘lively debate’ as countries tussle for leverage and power.
The United States and China are two of, if not the largest producers of plastic waste in the world and both countries are in some ways reluctant to fully engage with negotiations for completely sperate reasons.
China has its focus set on reducing downstream waste and its reduction and while in some ways this is incredibly helpful, China is taking little interest in reducing plastic production and tackling economic issues around the plastics industry.
On the other hand, the United States has internal politics to contend with, it is thought that the United States Senate in its current form is unlikely to accept any treaty negotiated with lobby groups and economic interests likely to be taken in into account.
What has been discussed?
Among the more progressive ideas banded about during negotiations is that of a group of emerging countries led by Rwanda and Norway. The ‘High Ambition Coalition’ is aiming to produce a version of a treaty that aims to reduce the production of single use plastics as well as address the lifecycle of plastics and increase circularity, this includes stringent regulation of the plastics industry.
Alternatively, there are calls for the treaty to have a treaty with smaller scope, a plan supported by countries including the United States, Saudi Arabia and China would see a treaty that would allow plastics companies to prioritise the importance of their waste, with less of a focus on regulation and more of a focus on recycling.