Breakdown in Plastic Treaty Negotiations: What Went Wrong? – Negotiations to establish the world’s first treaty to combat plastic pollution have reached an impasse following a week of tense discussions in South Korea. Delegates decided early Monday to resume talks at some time after failing to reach an agreement.
Here are the critical points of contention:
Production Cuts
The 2022 resolution called for a treaty promoting sustainable production and consumption of plastics. While dozens of nations support mandating a reduction in new plastic production and phasing out unnecessary single-use plastics, opposition has arisen from oil-producing states like Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, which reject binding reduction goals.
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Chemicals of Concern
Breakdown in Plastic Treaty Negotiations: What Went Wrong?: An alliance led by Rwanda and Norway advocates for measures addressing harmful components of plastics, known as chemicals of concern. They argue for legally binding obligations to phase out the most dangerous plastics and chemicals. However, some countries resist, citing existing international agreements and national regulations on toxins as sufficient.
Financing
Implementing the treaty will require substantial financial resources, which many developing nations lack. The latest draft agreement features conflicting options on financing, reflecting a lack of consensus on how costs will be distributed and funded.
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Global Rules vs. Individual Targets
A major sticking point is whether the treaty should establish universal standards for all nations or allow individual countries to set their targets. The European Union has opposed a flexible approach, emphasizing the need for global rules, while other nations argue for accommodating different levels of economic development and capacity.
The next round of discussions will aim to bridge these gaps and move closer to a unified agreement.
