Global Plastics Treaty Talks Begin Final Session Clouded by Uncertainty

The final negotiation session toward a global plastics treaty kicks off Monday, Nov. 25, amid a presidential transition and uncertainty over the US position on curtailing or banning production of certain plastics. 

The United States generally had sided with large plastics producers in seeking a treaty that regulates a more circular approach to controlling plastic waste. That changed — and changed again — when the Biden administration in August signaled a willingness to join calls to curb plastic production but appeared to reverse course earlier this month.

INC-5, the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, runs Nov. 25 through Dec. 1 in Busan, South Korea. The U.N. Environment Programme aims to develop and sign an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, soon thereafter.

Tension between plastics-producing nations and countries most affected by plastic waste

A significant gulf between plastics-producing nations and those most affected by plastic waste developed over the course of negotiations, which began in November 2022. “High Ambition Coalition” states aim for language that will restrict or ban certain “problematic” plastics and chemicals from production. Large plastics producers, including China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia, have balked at such measures, instead focusing on targeted control of post-use plastics. 

Underpinning that key divide remains the need to agree on a host of issues ranging from the technical and financial aspects of meeting plastics treaty mandates to whether the final instrument should include a variety of human rights perspectives.

Trump seen as industry friend

Just prior to the re-election of Donald Trump as president, the nonprofit group Beyond Plastics issued a 27-point wishlist of plastics priorities for the next administration. Speculation has arisen that the US plastics industry stands to gain from Trump’s win.

Organizations of various stripes have issued their appeals for what they view as the ideal outcome of the U.N. talks.

The World Wildlife Fund cautioned in a Nov. 18 statement that “an ambitious global plastic pollution treaty is the win 2024 needs in a year of dismal environmental progress. … Current plastic pollution treaty texts don’t go far enough toward ending pollution but there is still time for governments to agree on a strong treaty by focusing on the most urgent and impactful core measures.”

GPPC lobbies for circular economy approach

Meanwhile, the Global Partners for Plastics Circularity (GPPC) stated that it “reaffirms its strong commitment to securing an effective agreement that helps end plastic pollution by the close of INC-5.” GPPC, a multinational collaboration of associations and companies that make, use and recycle plastics, urged governments “to stay the course and finalize an ambitious, implementable, and inclusive agreement that prevents plastic pollution and accelerates a circular economy for plastics, where plastics are designed for reuse and recycling, and remade into new products at the end of life.”

Watch INC-5 sessions via livestream on UN Web TV.