The global plastics treaty can be saved

How stalled negotiations could regain momentum

In a recent Nature Comment, researchers, including some involved in the SynCom project SPHERE, analyze the causes of the deadlocked negotiations on a global plastics treaty and discuss possible guidelines for a successful resumption.

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing global environmental problems, as durable plastics spread across borders and cause long-term damage to ecosystems and human health. To address this with international regulations, the United Nations Environment Assembly established the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in March 2022. Despite six rounds of negotiations over a period of three years, the 184 member states have so far failed to reach an agreement.

International environmental agreements generally face major challenges, as countries often hold different positions on politically sensitive issues. In the case of plastic pollution, the range of issues extends from raw material extraction to production, trade, use, and disposal. In addition, plastic pollution often affects countries that contribute little to it themselves. The authors also see conceptual weaknesses in the INC process: i) A lack of thematic prioritization makes it difficult to focus the debates, ii) the planned complement to existing agreements leaves much room for interpretation, iii) an overly ambitious timetable forces parallel negotiations instead of gradual compromises, and iv) unclear rules of procedure often lead to discussions about INC processes itself rather than content.

The authors recommend three key changes to improve the process:

1. The leaders of the member states should meet in closed sessions to discuss important issues and set priorities.

2. The process should be guided by clear milestones instead of an overly ambitious timeline in order to use resources and expertise more efficiently.

3. Transparent negotiation rules that build trust and allow more room for substantive discussions

The authors call on the new chair of the INC to implement these changes so that the INC process can continue successfully. The success of the plastics agreement would not only be an important step toward protecting people and the environment, but would also strengthen confidence in international cooperation in addressing global challenges.

Read the full article here.