Aug 15 - Global talks to develop a landmark treaty to end plastic pollution have once again failed.
United Nations talks aimed at creating a Global Plastics Treaty have collapsed, failing to meet a deadline to finalise a deal. The negotiations were deadlocked by a fundamental split: a coalition of about 100 countries, including the UK and EU, pushed for curbs on plastic production, while oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia and Russia advocated for a focus on recycling and waste management. This division prevented an agreement, with delegates from island nations and environmental groups expressing major disappointment.
The core of the dispute lies in differing visions for solving the global plastic pollution crisis. Oil states and the plastics industry argue that plastics are essential to the modern economy and that the treaty should prioritise ending plastic pollution through better recycling, not by reducing production. Conversely, scientists and a majority of nations point out that global recycling rates are only about 10% and that production continues to soar, making recycling alone an insufficient solution. They argue that tackling the problem at its source by reducing production is essential.
Despite the failure, a new draft text was produced that did not include production caps but did reference nations taking their own steps on issues like dangerous plastic chemicals and product design for easier recycling. While the EU saw this as a good basis for future talks, oil states remained unhappy. Environmental groups condemned the outcome, accusing a handful of bad actors of prioritising profit over the planet. The talks are scheduled to resume at a later date as the world falls further behind in addressing this crisis.
