Negotiations for a global plastic pollution treaty fail in Geneva

Summary

After 11 days of negotiations in Geneva, global talks to tackle plastic pollution ended without a treaty, with discussions set to continue at a later date. Delegates from 184 countries reached a deadlock on key issues, including whether to limit plastic production and impose global chemical controls. Major oil and gas-producing nations, like the US and Saudi Arabia, opposed these restrictions, instead favoring recycling and waste management. Scientists warn plastic production could rise 70% by 2040, making it urgent to find solutions. Despite setbacks, the UN maintains that progress has been made in the ongoing battle against plastic pollution.

Takeaways

• 😀 After 11 days of talks in Geneva, global treaty discussions on plastic pollution ended without a deal.
• 😀 Delegates from 184 countries hit a deadlock on two major issues: whether to cap new plastic production and whether to impose global binding controls on toxic chemicals in plastics.
• 😀 Big oil and gas producers, including the US, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, opposed production cuts or chemical bans, favoring waste collection and recycling instead.
• 😀 Many other countries pushed for limits on plastic production to address the growing crisis.
• 😀 Last year's talks in South Korea also ended without a treaty, highlighting the ongoing struggle to reach an agreement.
• 😀 A last-minute compromise proposal failed, which would have acknowledged current plastic production and consumption as unsustainable and suggested tackling plastics over their entire lifecycle.
• 😀 Opponents of the compromise proposal argued it crossed too many red lines, leading to its collapse.
• 😀 The guidelines for a treaty require unanimous consent from all participating countries, making agreement difficult.
• 😀 Scientists have warned that global plastic production exceeds 400 million tons annually and is on track to rise by 70% by 2040 without significant policy changes.
• 😀 The UN's environment chief described the outcome as disappointing but emphasized that progress was still made in the ongoing fight for a treaty on plastic pollution.

Q & A

Why did the talks in Geneva end without a deal?

The talks in Geneva ended without a deal due to a deadlock on two main issues: whether the treaty should cap new plastic production and whether it should impose global binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics.

What were the key points of disagreement among the delegates?

The key points of disagreement were whether to limit new plastic production and impose binding controls on toxic chemicals. Oil and gas-producing nations, including the US, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, opposed these measures, while many other countries pushed for limits on production.

Which countries opposed the proposed production cuts and chemical bans?

Countries including the US, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, which are major oil and gas producers, opposed the proposed production cuts and chemical bans.

What alternative measures did the opposing countries support instead of production limits?

The opposing countries supported measures such as waste collection, better product design, and increased recycling and reuse as alternatives to production cuts and chemical bans.

What was the proposal put forward during last year’s talks in South Korea?

Last year's talks in South Korea also ended without a deal, but there was an effort to get a compromise proposal. This proposal called the current plastic production and consumption unsustainable and suggested addressing plastics across their full life cycle, leaving the door open for future production limits.

Why did some countries oppose the compromise proposal?

Some countries opposed the compromise proposal because they felt it crossed too many red lines, particularly regarding the potential for future production limits.

What do the guidelines for a treaty call for regarding decision-making?

The guidelines for a treaty call for unanimous consent from all parties involved in the negotiation, which can make reaching an agreement more difficult.

What are the current global plastic production levels, and how are they expected to change by 2040?

The world currently produces over 400 million tons of plastic per year. Without major policy changes, this production is expected to rise by about 70% by 2040.

What did the UN’s environment chief say about the outcome of the Geneva talks?

The UN's environment chief described the outcome of the talks as disappointing, but acknowledged that progress was made and emphasized that the fight for a treaty is not over.

Why is the issue of plastic pollution so urgent, according to scientists?

Scientists have warned that the global production of plastic is unsustainable, and without significant policy changes, it is expected to increase dramatically, exacerbating the environmental crisis. The growing volume of plastic waste poses serious risks to ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.