Collapsed negotiations: Discussions on groundbreaking plastic agreement conclude in Geneva, yielding no accord
The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) aimed at creating a legally binding treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution ended without an agreement in Geneva. The meeting, which involved 183 countries, was meant to be the final round, producing the first such treaty.
Disagreement was especially sharp around legally binding global controls on toxic chemicals used in plastics and the exponential growth of plastic production. Some major players, including the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, opposed cutting plastic production or banning chemical additives, contributing to the deadlock. Two drafts of treaty text were presented by the committee chair, but no consensus emerged to use either as a negotiation basis.
Environmental advocates described the outcome as a setback, while refusing a weak treaty that could undermine future efforts. The European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience, and Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, vowed to continue pushing for a stronger, binding agreement.
David Azoulay, health programme director and head of the delegation for the Center for International Environmental Law, described the talks in Geneva as an "abject failure." Azoulay suggested that negotiations will continue to fail if solutions aren't identified and the process doesn't change, and proposed the formation of a treaty of the willing that includes options for voting.
The latest draft text did not include a limit on plastic production but recognized that current levels of production and consumption are unsustainable. For any proposal to make it into the treaty, every nation must agree. Countries like India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Vietnam, and others have emphasized the importance of consensus for an effective treaty.
The United Nations Environment Programme chief, Inger Andersen, stated that significant progress was made during the negotiations, despite not reaching the desired outcome. The INC chair emphasized optimism, stating the need to renew commitments and continue negotiations, though no new date has been set yet.
Notably, France's Minister for Ecological Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, expressed disappointment and anger due to the lack of an ambitious treaty against plastic pollution. Representatives of Norway, Australia, Tuvalu, and other nations also expressed deep disappointment at leaving Geneva without a treaty.
The stalled negotiations leave the plastics pollution crisis unresolved for now, with further talks planned but no clear timeline. It remains to be seen when and how the global community will come together to address this pressing environmental issue.
- The discussion on the formation of a legally binding treaty to tackle plastic pollution highlighted the need for more action in the field of environmental science, as disagreements centered around controlling toxic chemicals used in plastics and the exponential growth of plastic production.
- Amidst concerns about climate change and health-and-wellness, advocates are urging for medical-condition-related studies on plastic pollution's long-term effects. They argue that such research is crucial for a comprehensive approach to addressing global environmental issues.
