The fourth and penultimate phase of negotiations to reach a global treaty to combat plastic pollution concluded on the night of Monday to Tuesday in Ottawa with the prospect of an agreement by the end of the year , but without a ceiling for polymer production.
For the first time since the start of these negotiations, which resumed last week in Canada five months after the last round in Kenya, representatives of 175 countries discussed a text which will serve as the basis for this future international treaty to enter in force by the end of 2024.
The goal is to end the scourge of plastic pollution found everywhere, from mountain tops to ocean depths, in human blood and breast milk.
The delegates leave Ottawa with the promise of maintaining dialogue and holding a series of consultations between now and November before a final round of negotiations in South Korea.
“We are witnessing a drastic and monumental change in tone and energy,” summarized Canadian Parliamentary Secretary July Dabrusin.
“I am very optimistic that we can reach an agreement by the end of the year to end plastic pollution by 2040,” she added.
Reduction versus recycling
Mme Dabrusin and other representatives welcomed the progress made at the negotiating table, particularly in formulating measures to eliminate plastic waste.
However, a proposed cap on plastic production did not find a place in the draft text, and remains a major sticking point.
Although there is broad consensus on the need for a treaty, environmental activists who advocate for a reduction in plastic production are at odds with oil-producing countries and the plastics industry, which prioritize recycling. .
“We have seen greater willingness in recent days to address the issue of polymers under the treaty,” said Ana Rocha, speaking on behalf of the Global South.
But for environmental NGOs, “we cannot put an end to plastic pollution without reducing the quantity of plastic we produce,” responded Graham Forbes, from Greenpeace, to AFP.
Plastic pollution on a global scale continues to get worse. Annual production has more than doubled in 20 years to reach 460 million tonnes and could triple by 2060 if nothing is done. However, only 9% of plastics are recycled.
“The success or failure of this treaty will be determined by how it addresses the issue of reducing plastic production. Nothing can work if we don’t deal with this properly,” said Forbes.
On Tuesday, the environment ministers of the G7 countries must commit to recognizing that “plastic pollution is unsustainable and that its proliferation is alarming”, according to the French delegation.
In Ottawa, Peru and Rwanda proposed a motion, which did not pass, reducing plastic production by 40% over the next 15 years, consistent with the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The production of plastic contributes significantly to global warming because it mainly comes from fossil fuels.
Chris Jahn of the International Council of Chemical Associations said the industry was “fully committed to a legally binding treaty” on plastic waste, provided it “does not eliminate the massive benefits of plastic for a healthier and more sustainable world.
But for Latin American environmental activist Alejandra Parra, recycling is a “false option”, due to its cost, the fact that many plastics are not recyclable, or that these processes also have negative effects for the environment. environment.