By Associated Press’s Jennifer Mcdermy
GENEVA (AP) Delegates in Switzerland adjourned Friday’s negotiations to reach a major pact to eliminate the world’s rising plastic waste, with no clear plans to continue.
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Devastatingly, the failed negotiations have left governments without a clear way to deal with the mountains of plastic that are piling up in landfills, polluting the oceans, and appearing in large chunks on beaches and other public areas.
Upon adjournment, Bjorn Beeler, the International Pollutants Elimination Network’s international coordinator, declared that consensus was dead.
Over 400 million tons of new plastic are produced each worldwide, and if policy reforms are not made, that amount could increase by roughly 70% by 2040. Approximately 100 nations wish to restrict manufacturing. Many have stated that addressing the harmful chemicals used to create plastics is equally crucial.
The ultimate ruling—or lack thereof—emphasized the power of the US and other oil-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia, who opposed any restrictions on the manufacturing of plastics, which are mostly made from fuels like gas and oil.
The United Nations office in Geneva had been occupied by nations for eleven days. However, they couldn’t agree on whether the pact should limit the exponential expansion of plastic production or impose globally enforceable regulations on the hazardous chemicals used to create plastics.
To have their voices heard, a large number of business executives, environmentalists, rubbish pickers, and Indigenous leaders traveled to the talks. Indigenous leaders wanted a treaty that acknowledged their knowledge and rights.
The only group to speak at Friday’s final gathering was the Youth Plastic Action Network. After a day of talks and negotiations, the U.S. and Kuwait requested that observers’ comments be stopped.
Following the adjournment, a few delegates made an effort to present a positive image of the negotiations and conveyed optimism for further discussions. The delegates did decide to get together again in the future.
Despite difficulties and disappointment, we must acknowledge that great strides were made, according to Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme.
She stated that although it is too soon to predict when a treaty would be reached, this process will not end.
The final round of negotiations was expected to result in the first legally enforceable agreement on plastic pollution, especially that which affects the oceans. However, the discussions ended without an agreement, just like at the gathering in South Korea last year.
The negotiating committee’s chair, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, drafted two treaty texts in Geneva based on the opinions of the participating countries. 184 nations’ officials refused to use either one as the starting point for their talks.
As the delegates reassembled in the assembly hall on Friday morning, Valdivieso said that no further action was being suggested on the most recent draft at this time.
Among the numerous signs of the plastic problem that were on display during the three-hour meeting, he slammed a gavel made of recycled plastic bottle caps from a Nairobi dump.
The European Union and its member states had higher hopes for this meeting, according to European Commissioner Jessika Roswall, and although while the draft does not fully address their objectives, it provides a solid foundation for further negotiations.
The planet is not solely ours. For those who follow us, we are stewards. “Let us carry out that responsibility,” she remarked.
Norway, Australia, Tuvalu, and other countries’ representatives expressed their profound disappointment at having to leave Geneva without a treaty. The world is expecting action, not reports from us, according to Madagascar’s envoy.
According to China’s team, this brief setback represents a fresh opportunity to establish agreement because the battle against plastic pollution is a lengthy one.
Every country must accept any proposal before it can be included in the treaty. India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Vietnam, and other countries have stated that an effective treaty requires unanimity. Some nations wish to alter the procedure so that, if needed, votes might be used to make choices.
Delegates were persuaded to do so by Graham Forbes, who led the Greenpeace group in Geneva.
We’re circling ourselves. As Friday’s meeting came to an end, he stated, “We cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.”
Whether the pact should place restrictions on the production of new plastic or instead emphasize better design, recycling, and reuse has been the main topic of discussion.
The United States, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait were against the treaty’s restrictions on plastic production and chemical additives. In order to reduce the amount of plastic that is discarded into the environment, the United States backed measures to enhance garbage collection and management, enhance product design, and promote recycling and reuse.
The most recent plan, according to Saudi and Kuwaiti negotiators, accorded greater weight to the opinions of other countries, although Saudi Arabia claimed that both drafts lacked balance.
Although it acknowledged that present levels of production and consumption are unsustainable and that global action is required, the document, which was made public early Friday, did not include a cap on the manufacture of plastic. To state that these levels exceeded present waste management capabilities and are expected to rise further, new wording was added, requiring a concerted international response to stop and reverse such trends.
The treaty’s goal was changed to specify that the agreement will be founded on an all-encompassing strategy that takes into account plastics’ whole lifecycle. It discussed minimizing single-use or short-lived plastic products, as well as eliminating plastic products that contain a chemical or substances that are harmful to the environment or human health.
Though not flawless, it was a far better, more ambitious text. Magnus Heunicke, the Danish environment minister, stated that every nation brought numerous red lines to Geneva. The Council of Europe’s rotational presidency is held by Denmark.
He stated unequivocally that a compromise necessitates bending our red lines.
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