Yet again, countries fail to agree on treaty to end plastic pollution

Countries, for the second time since October 2024, failed to agree on a legally binding agreement to an ambitious treaty to end plastic pollution.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC 5.2), a group of about 180 countries, has been deliberating at the United Nations offices in Geneva since August 5 towards a consensus agreement. The process was to conclude on the August 14. However multiple draft versions of the text couldn’t reconcile deep differences between blocs of nations on whether cutting plastic production was integral to ending plastic pollution. Several of the Arab states, the United States and India are against any curbs on the production of plastic polymers.

A majority of the countries, about 80-100, back an “ambitious” treaty that, at its heart, has a phase-out plan for plastics. As many as 57 countries called for toxic-free reuse, refill and repair systems; 89 demanded cuts to plastic production; 120 supported strong controls on chemicals; another 120 backed voting in the Conference of the Parties to break the deadlock and 130 championed a dedicated Article on health. Primarily led by the European Union and its 27 member states, the countries looking for an ambitious treaty include several countries in Africa, several Pacific Island states, countries in Latin America and Japan.

However the countries opposed to them, which also includes China, represent a larger share of the world’s population.

While there is an established United Nations process to bridge differences, and countries do hold nuanced positions on why some provisions — there are about 32 Articles in the draft text — are acceptable and others absolute ‘red lines’, several observers say that the lack of a voting process ultimately proves to be an obstacle to making progress.

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“We came to Geneva to secure a global plastics treaty because we know the stakes could not be higher,” Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, said in a statement. “While the latest text does not meet all our ambitions, it is a step forward. The perfect must not be the enemy of the good.”

Inger Andersen, Executive Chairperson, UN Environment Programme, at a press conference said, “I am disappointed…but this is how the multilateral treaty works. History shows that it takes multiple years of negotiations to evolve the substantial treaties of the past. We have for the first time heard the deep red lines been mentioned in a true way that will enable a pathway for us to move forward.”

The need for an agreement emerges from a resolution made at the UN Environment Assembly in 2022 by all member countries to end plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

The intent was to have an agreement in five sessions. The fifth session, in Busan, South Korea in October 2024, ended in a stalemate after which it was ultimately decided to have a ‘5.2’ session in Geneva. After the collapse in Geneva, a 5.3 session is likely though a time and venue is unknown.