Global Plastics Treaty Talks End Without Agreement, Optimism Remains
The Global Plastics Treaty Conference INC-5.2 concluded without a concrete agreement, leaving various organizations, coalitions, and businesses disappointed. Despite the setback, many remain optimistic about the progress made towards a comprehensive approach to tackle plastic pollution.
A coalition of organizations signed an open letter urging negotiators to adopt ambitious measures covering the entire lifecycle of plastics. The letter emphasized the need for production reduction and environmentally sound design. While specific signatories were not listed, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Rob Opsomer expressed encouragement about the alignment among countries, businesses, and civil society on this comprehensive approach.
The European Commission and various other organizations, including Unilever's Rebecca Marmot and the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, shared this optimism. They highlighted the strong alignment among governments, businesses, and civil society groups calling for a treaty with harmonized regulations. However, the European Commission also warned that without global intervention, plastic production could triple by 2060.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Plastics Europe were among those 'deeply disappointed' and 'disappointed' respectively, by the lack of an agreement at INC-5.2. UNEP's Inger Andersen, however, noted that all countries want to remain at the table and beat plastic pollution. Jacob Duer, president and CEO of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, also expressed anticipation for a global agreement.
Despite the failure to reach a concrete Global Plastics Treaty at INC-5.2, optimism persists among organizations and businesses. They remain aligned on core tenets of an effective text and committed to tackling plastic pollution. The next steps involve building on this progress and working towards a robust, ambitious agreement.
