Global Plastics Treaty: An instrument to change the course of global plastic production and pollution
“Every year, more than 430 million tons of plastic are produced, two-thirds of which are discarded after a single use.”
“Eleven million metric tons of plastics enter our oceans every year, in addition to the estimated 200 million metric tons that are already circulating in our marine environments, according to data from the Ocean Conservatory. (...) At the current rate of production, by the middle of the century there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.”
We live in an era of multiple environmental crises, where the production of plastics, especially single-use plastics, has significantly contributed to global warming and to the alteration of weather patterns. A study in Science Advances shows that every 1% increase in plastic production is associated with a 1% increase in plastic pollution.
To try to cope with this excessive growth in its production and final disposal, in March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) accepted the proposal of members of GAIA (Global Alliance for Alternatives to Incineration) and the #BreakFreeFromPlastics (Free Yourself from Plastic) movement, which seeks to promote the creation of a Global Plastics Treaty.
What is the Global Plastics Treaty?
The Global Plastics Treaty is a historic initiative that seeks to address the global plastic pollution crisis. This treaty, proposed by the UNEA, aims to establish a legally binding (that is, mandatory) international agreement that regulates the production and management of plastics from manufacture to final disposal.
The objective is to cover the entire life cycle of plastic and to establish regulations that, first of all, prevent its overproduction, and that throughout all its stages have options for use to avoid its final disposal.
Who Is Participating in the Negotiations?
The negotiations of this treaty are not carried out by organizations or civil society, but by UN member states. There are 175 countries participating in these negotiations and to date, the five rounds of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committees (INCs) that were initially proposed to achieve the Treaty have been held:
- INC-1 (November 2022, Uruguay): Organization and adoption of the agenda.
- INC-2 (May 2023, France): Development of a “zero draft”.
- INC-3 (November 2023, Kenya): Initial review of the “zero draft”.
- INC-4 (April 2024, Canada): Revisions and changes to the “zero draft”.
- INC-5 (November 2024, South Korea): This was expected to be the last round to define the treaty.
Despite the efforts of all the actors involved, the last round of negotiations failed to achieve a Global Plastics Treaty; negotiations will continue in 2025.
What happened at the INC-5 in South Korea?
One of the biggest challenges in realizing the Global Plastics Treaty in the recent round of negotiations was the decision-making procedure, which is currently based on consensus and not a majority vote. This means that, although more than 100 countries supported ambitious goals together, a few countries, mainly those whose main income comes from oil revenues, made it difficult to reach consensus.
What could a Global Plastics Treaty do in the context of Ecuador?
Although this Treaty still sounds like something impossible to achieve or that, even if it is achieved, will not have any real effect on the world, at Mingas por el Mar and ReciVeci we allow ourselves to establish a position.
Although these types of legal instruments are not “magic wands”, finally having them leaves us with legal tools that allow us to chart routes to achieve changes. For example, in Ecuador we are currently signatories to two amendments to the Basel Convention (1. Plastics and 2. Prohibition). This Convention was created in 1992 and seeks to “protect human health and the environment against the harmful effects of hazardous waste” . *
Being a signatory to this Agreement allowed the Zero Waste Ecuador Alliance, after conducting research on cross-border trade in plastic waste, to legally request protection action for the import of certain types of waste. This was possible because Ecuador signed the Basel Convention.
Finally, they are legal tools that also allow us to have a starting point for creating local public policies and that is why it is worth fighting to achieve them.
How does the Global Plastics Treaty impact the lives of basic recyclers?
Grassroots waste pickers play a fundamental role in these negotiations and they made this feel on the last day of INC5, with the participation of Soledad Mella during the closing plenary session, representing the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Waste Pickers (LACRE Network).
The participation of waste pickers helps to take into account in the Treaty an article that focuses on the “Just Transition”. Taking into account that single-use plastic waste has the most stable prices for those who live from basic recycling, it is important that when attacking the production of plastics, we talk about doing so in a way that ensures that the lives of those who depend directly on the post-consumer sale of this material are taken into account.
At ReciVeci, we celebrate the organization of fellow waste pickers from the global south, and that through it they have been present making their voices and needs heard at INC5 in South Korea.
Important (and non-negotiable) points for achieving the Global Plastics Treaty:
- It has to be legally binding for all member countries (if it's voluntary, it doesn't work for us).
- It is not a waste management treaty (it is a treaty that mainly proposes the reduction of plastic waste).
- It has to address the full life cycle of plastics (not only their final disposal, but also since their manufacture).
- It must ensure a Just Transition on the road to reduced production.
- It has to take into account everything and everyone who is involved in the plastic chain, including basic recyclers.
Finally, the Global Plastics Treaty represents a unique opportunity to align environmental commitments at the global level and promote real change towards a more sustainable future. Although a final agreement has not yet been reached, the negotiation process continues, and it is crucial to be vigilant of what happens in this process that impacts all of us.
Thank you for reading!
This blog was written by the ReciVeci team in collaboration with the invaluable contribution of the Mingas por el Mar team. We especially want to thank María Esther Briz, from Mingas por el Mar, who attended INC5 in South Korea as an observer representing Break Free From Plastics, and to Paula Guerra, CEO of ReciVeci, who also participated as an observer representing Ambition Loop. The experiences and learning collected by both of them during those days have profoundly nourished the content of this blog, which summarizes what they experienced and discussed about the global treaty on plastics.
About Mingas by the Sea:
Mingas por el Mar is an initiative dedicated to educating about pollution on Ecuador's beaches and raising awareness about the impact of marine pollution. It seeks to change consumption habits, reduce the use of disposable plastics and promote reuse and recycling. In addition, they organize beach cleanups to engage citizens, promote conversations that promote change, and empower communities to continue independent conservation and environmental education actions.
About ReciveCI:
ReciVeci is an Ecuadorian startup that promotes inclusive recycling and the circular economy with technological and social innovation. It connects all the actors in the waste management chain through the ReciApp mobile application. It works for recycling, returnability and facilitates processes of transition to the circular economy and citizen awareness.
Sources consulted:
- Principle 10 Observatory — ECLAC. (n.d.). Protect our planet from plastic pollution: 5 things to know. Recovered from https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/protect-our-planet-from-plastic-pollution-5-things-to-know/
- Mingas by the Sea. (n.d.). New research confirms that plastic production is directly linked to plastic pollution. Recovered from https://www.mingasporelmar.org/nueva-investigacion-confirma-que-la-produccion-de-plastico-esta-directamente-vinculada-a-la-contaminacion-plastica/
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (n.d.). ABC of the plastic treaty that is being debated. Recovered from https://www.unep.org/es/noticias-y-reportajes/reportajes/abc-del-tratado-sobre-el-plastico-que-se-esta-debatiendo-esta
- Global Plastic Laws. (n.d.). UN Global Plastics Treaty. Recovered from https://www.globalplasticlaws.org/un-global-plastics-treaty#:~:text=INC%2D1,addressing%20the%20plastic%20pollution%20crisis
- Switch Asia. (n.d.). Positions Plastics Treaty World. Recovered from https://www.switch-asia.eu/site/assets/files/4061/positions_plastics_treaty_world-1.pdf
- Not Burn. (n.d.). UNEA Treaty on Plastics. Recovered from https://www.no-burn.org/es/unea-plastics-treaty/
