Negotiations for a global plastic pollution treaty are currently in the last of their four-day finale. That imperative to come to a deal now burns even stronger. The Micronesian archipelago, represented by Palau, has historically raised some of the most forceful alarms on the current pace of talks. Speaking for 39 small island developing states (SIDS), Palau emphasized that “SIDS will not stand by while our future is bartered away in a stalemate.” The archipelago highlighted the dire consequences of inaction, stating that “this brinkmanship has a real price: a dying ocean.”
The current negotiations taking place in Geneva are to produce the first international agreement to tackle the rising plastic emergency. Countries remain very far apart on what the treaty should aim to do and cover. This division has led to extraordinary delays in producing an agreed-to clear text. As a result, the draft treaty has grown from 22 pages to 35, with almost 1,500 brackets showing where parties have not yet reached agreement on issues. Globally, plastic production is predicted to almost triple by 2060. To meet this challenge, we need a real, substantive deal yesterday.
Divisions in Negotiation Goals
Throughout the negotiations, countries have voiced competing priorities on what the treaty should focus on. The Like-Minded Group is made up of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Russia, Iran, and Malaysia. They are calling for a treaty to include, at most, an exclusive focus on waste management. On the other hand, a larger coalition of countries wants to see provisions that focus on reducing plastic production in the first place.
Eirik Lindebjerg, global plastics adviser for the World Wide Fund for Nature, criticized where the talks are heading. He warned, “We risk having a meaningless treaty without any binding global rules like bans and phase-outs. This is unacceptable.” With deep-seated ideological divides among delegates, it’s looking more and more difficult to reach a consensus.
New major players such as the United States and India are now members of the Like-Minded Group. Their participation has added a new layer of complexity to negotiations. As discussions evolve, it remains unclear how these nations will reconcile their positions with those advocating for stricter regulations on plastic production.
Growing Urgency and Expectations
With only four days remaining in the negotiation period, tensions are mounting as delegates strive to finalize the treaty text. Jessika Roswall emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “With four more days to go, we have more square brackets in the text than plastic in the sea. It’s time to get results.” The number of outstanding matters alone brings into stark relief the legally complicated nature of closing in on an all-encompassing settlement.
We anticipate around 70 ministers and as many as 30 senior government officials to engage in the negotiations. Their participation is designed to help overcome the impasse and make sure that a strong, effective treaty comes from this pivotal summit. Our working groups are deeply engaged in collaborating on a variety of technical topics. These are things such as plastic design, waste management tactics, recycling efforts financing and paying for waste collection in low- and middle-income nations.
Even with these helpful gestures, the first week of discussions ran behind schedule and failed to establish a clear consensus. As countries continue to navigate their differences, it remains uncertain whether they can arrive at a mutually acceptable solution before time runs out.
A Path Forward
The stakes are high as 184 countries convene at the United Nations with hopes of sculpting an effective international accord. More ambitious members of the negotiations are pushing for the inclusion of production-based clauses to restrict new plastic. They’re advocating for pragmatic waste management prevention schemes. Creating that breakthrough will take clear direction and cooperation between countries.
Eirik Lindebjerg pointed out the need for a more proactive approach. “Expecting any meaningful outcome to this process through consensus is a delusion. With the time remaining, the ambitious governments must come together as a majority to finalize the treaty text and prepare to agree it through a vote.”
As a September 30th deadline bears down on negotiations, the need for clear and bold action to address the global plastic pollution crisis rings truer than ever. The fate of oceans and ecosystems hangs in balance as representatives from around the world strive to address one of the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.