International Convocation in Ottawa
With the hosting of the fourth round of discussions (#PlasticsTreaty) this week, Ottawa takes centre stage in the worldwide fight against plastic pollution. The goal of these talks is to draft an all-encompassing international treaty.
Among the 3,500 participants are representatives of industries, governments, and environmental organisations, so the pressure is on to come up with a strategy by the end of the year that might be just as significant as the 2015 Paris Agreement.
The Importance of a Binding Contract
At the 2022 U.N. Environmental Assembly, countries pledged to create a legally enforceable agreement by the end of 2024 to address the growing problem of plastic pollution.
The proposed convention would cover every stage of the plastics lifecycle, from manufacture and use to disposal, acknowledging the complexity of plastic pollution, which not only contaminates rivers and landscapes but also adds substantially to greenhouse gas emissions.
Partitions and Difficulties
The negotiations in Ottawa come after three previous meetings held in various parts of the world, each of which exposed widening gaps on important topics. The text of the draft treaty significantly increased as nations expressed their reservations, especially about measures like production limitations and the phase-out of certain plastics. There is pressure to close these differences as the last round of negotiations in December in Busan, South Korea, approaches.
Different Views on the Solutions
Divergent perspectives on the future of plastics are evident around the negotiation table. The EU, Japan, and many island nations make up the High-Ambition Coalition, which pushes for strict regulations to substantially cut plastic usage and manufacturing by 2040. However, the main plastic-producing nations, known as the Like-Minded Countries, oppose stringent output limits out of concern for the impact on their economies.
Concurrently, there is division in the business sector. Major petrochemical companies are represented by the Global Partners for Plastics Circularity, which is opposed to production caps and favours putting more of an emphasis on post-production solutions like recycling and reuse.
On the other hand, more than 200 consumer companies that are part of the Business Coalition for a Plastics Treaty are in favour of extensive regulations that include production caps and more producer accountability in order to lessen the negative effects of plastic trash.
The Business Argument for Action and Clarity
Companies highlight that for the pact to promote sustainable growth and innovation in combating plastic pollution, there must be unambiguous, international regulations. In order to assist businesses connect their strategy with global environmental goals and ensure both ecological and economic sustainability, legal clarity is considered vital.
Gazing Forward
The road to a strong and revolutionary Plastics Treaty is still paved with obstacles as discussions move forward in the face of conflicting interests and perspectives. The results from Ottawa will set the stage for the last rounds, when everyone will be watching anxiously to see whether and how world leaders can come together to create a significant and lasting deal.
The agreement—or lack thereof—achieved in Canada will surely impact how the world views one of the most important environmental concerns of our time.
