According to data released by the United Nations Environment Programme, over 460 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which are disposable. About 8 million tons of plastic waste flow into the ocean every year, equivalent to 2000 fully loaded garbage trucks dumping plastic waste into the water every day. Microplastics have penetrated into the food chain, water sources, soil, and even human organs, including the placenta of newborns. The depth and scope of their impact are shocking.
UN Secretary General Guterres warns that without action, the total amount of plastic in the ocean is expected to surpass fish by 2050. He called on the international community to take immediate action and jointly address this severe challenge.
The proposal to address plastic pollution through international law can be traced back to the mid to late last century. With the rapid development of the plastic industry, the environmental pollution caused by plastic waste has become increasingly serious, attracting widespread attention from the international community. After entering the 21st century, global environmental problems have become increasingly severe, and plastic pollution has gradually become an important issue on the international agenda. International organizations such as the United Nations Environment Assembly have begun to develop relevant policies to address plastic pollution.
In 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly passed a landmark resolution aimed at developing a legally binding international agreement to eliminate plastic pollution, including plastic pollution in the marine environment, and established an intergovernmental negotiating committee to advance the negotiation process.
After more than two years of five rounds of intergovernmental negotiations held in Uruguay, Paris, Nairobi, Ottawa, and Busan, global plastic pollution control has reached a new critical juncture.
Extensive participation
The latest and fifth round of negotiations of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution will be held in Busan, South Korea from November 25th to December 2nd, 2024.
Before the meeting, the international community had high hopes for finalizing a legally binding international treaty in Busan that covers the elimination of plastic pollution in both land and marine environments.
The conference attracted over 3800 representatives from more than 170 countries and 600 observation organizations, making it the largest number of attendees in any negotiation.
The attending representatives emphasized the importance of global cooperation and multilateralism in addressing plastic issues, and called for strengthening innovation and promoting a circular economy.
The meeting revolves around three key topics:
- Addressing plastic pollution from multiple perspectives, focusing on product design, emissions and releases, waste management, legacy pollution, green transformation, capacity building, technical assistance, and technology transfer;
- The three clauses that have not yet been listed in the Chair's informal document are the list of hazardous chemicals, the sustainability of plastic production, and the establishment of financial support mechanisms.
- Drawing on successful experiences from other environmental treaties, such as implementation and compliance, national planning and reporting, effective assessment and monitoring, information exchange, education and research, etc;
Philip, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, emphasized that the success of this negotiation will directly affect the future development of the world. After the treaty is reached, countries need to take practical actions to promote its implementation.
Negotiation failed
Despite positive progress in multiple key areas, the treaty could not be reached as scheduled due to differences in the focus of plastic pollution control and economic interests among countries.
After a week of intense discussions, representatives reached an agreement on the "Chairman's Text" prepared by the Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee and Ambassador of Ecuador, Valdivisso, which will serve as the basis for negotiations at the 2025 resumed session.
The Executive Director of the Environmental Agency, Annoson, stated at the closing ceremony that the global commitment to eliminating plastic pollution is clear and unquestionable. The Busan negotiations have brought us one step closer to reaching a legally binding global treaty that will protect our health, environment, and future from plastic pollution. Although the conference reached a greater degree of consensus on the framework and content of the treaty text, there are still differences in key areas that require more time to resolve.
Differences among all parties
The main reason for the failure of the Busan negotiations to reach a treaty as scheduled is the divergent positions of various countries.
Firstly, there are differences in interests among countries, each with different priorities and economic concerns. For example, developed countries tend to have stricter plastic production restrictions and stronger recycling requirements, while developing countries are concerned that these measures may have an impact on the economy; Especially some countries with large fossil fuel and plastic production industries oppose imposing too many restrictions on plastic production, believing that this may have adverse effects on their economy.
Secondly, there is a divergence between restrictive and non restrictive measures. There is controversy over whether treaties should include legally binding commitments or rely more on voluntary actions and non binding objectives. Some countries are unwilling to accept binding obligations, fearing that these obligations may have an impact on the economy, especially on industries such as plastic production and recycling.
At the same time, there are also differences in the scope and definition of the treaty, such as differences in what the treaty should cover, especially the scope of "plastic pollution". Some countries are pushing for broader definitions to cover all types of plastics, while others are seeking narrower definitions to avoid including certain products or industries.
In addition, there are differences among countries on issues such as compliance, supervision and accountability, funding, and technical support.
Future Prospects
The intergovernmental negotiating committee will resume discussions in 2025, and the location has not yet been announced.
Representatives from various countries hope that the next round of negotiations can make greater progress in terms of political will and promote more binding and practical treaties. However, challenges such as economic conflicts of interest, divergent positions, and differences in environmental implementation capabilities remain severe. How to find a balance point on these issues and ensure the effective implementation of the treaty remains an important issue that needs to be addressed in future negotiations.
International cooperation is crucial. Countries need to closely cooperate in areas such as technological innovation, policy coordination, and financial support, share technology, coordinate policies, and provide funding to jointly promote the process of plastic pollution control. The establishment of a plastic pollution treaty is not only related to environmental protection, but also a necessary measure for global sustainable development.
Annoson stated that the Environmental Agency will do its utmost to support the negotiation process and call on all parties to work together to overcome plastic pollution and achieve a greener and more sustainable future.
