Global Plastics Treaty negotiations off to a slow start

According to various media reports, negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty are at a standstill in Geneva. The fifth session of the Inter-governmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) has not resolved disagreements among the 180 participating nations. The treaty is mandated to produce a legally-binding instrument by August 14, but a consensus has not been reached on the 32 articles in the draft text.

The primary point of conflict is between two groups of countries. The High Ambition Coalition, which includes the EU and nations from Africa and the Pacific, is advocating for controls on plastic production and consumption.

In contrast, the Like-Minded Countries, a group of petro-states that includes Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia, are resisting these measures. This group is pushing for a focus on downstream solutions such as waste management and recycling, citing their economic requirements. In particular, India has opposed any global list of products with phase-out timelines. The country's position is that the treaty should focus on pollution, not production.. The Indian delegation has stated that regulating the production of plastic polymers could affect its right to development. India has also proposed a dedicated multilateral fund to provide financial and technical assistance to developing countries for transitioning to cleaner technologies.

This disagreement has resulted in little progress on topics like production caps and chemicals of concern. Talks have been described as slow, with the draft text growing from 22 to 35 pages and the number of bracketed, disputed sections increasing to nearly 1,500.

The stakes

The need for a resolution is urgent due to the growing problem of plastic pollution. Between 2000 and 2019, plastic waste doubled from 156 million tonnes to 353 million tonnes. Recycling rates remain at about 9 per cent. Without a treaty, plastic use is projected to reach 1.2-billion tonnes by 2060.

This situation has led to calls for responsibility from all nations, including both plastic waste exporters and primary producers. Panama’s negotiator, Juan Monterrey Gomez, spoke about the presence of microplastics in the human body, stating that the problem cannot be solved with recycling alone.

Luis Vayas Valdivieso, the Ecuadorian diplomat and chair of INC-5.2, has warned delegates that progress is not sufficient. He said that a push is needed to meet the deadline. The UN Environment Programme's executive director, Inger Andersen, stated that a deal is still within reach despite the current challenges.