Economic Stability vs. Sustainability: The Stalemate in UN Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations
Economic Stability vs. Sustainability: The Stalemate in UN Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations
Author: Alex Bede, Grove Sustainability Director
The plastic crisis has become a growing concern among environmentally- and health-conscious consumers. In fact, GlobeScan’s latest survey of over 30,000 people from 31 countries shows that two-thirds of people are worried about microplastics in their bodies.¹ Yet, despite the growing concern, making an impact remains a challenge. Since a global consensus is required to make a global impact, it’s up to governments, companies, NGOs, and consumers to work together to reduce plastic waste.
In recent months, many have become hopeful that The United Nation Plastic Treaty will establish a legal binding international agreement to address plastic pollution throughout its entire lifecycle — from production to end of life.
The UN Plastics Treaty is spearheaded by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) and aims to regulate countries’ plastic production, reduce plastic waste, and transition to more sustainable materials. The goal was to complete all treaty negotiations, with the fifth session closing in early December, by the end of 2024.²
“An overwhelming majority of countries are calling for an ambitious treaty to address the current plastic crisis, yet stall tactics from a handful of oil-producing countries have delayed negotiations.”
After a long week in Busan, Korea, many are traveling home from this fifth session without a Global Plastics Treaty, feeling angry and frustrated. An overwhelming majority of countries are calling for an ambitious treaty to address the current plastic crisis, yet stall tactics from a handful of oil-producing countries have delayed negotiations. These countries have favored solely to focus on waste management, rather than limiting plastic production, which has delayed the treaty’s progress and requires further negotiations, likely into 2025.³
Economic agendas from oil-producing countries are a major contributor to the stalled negotiations. Plastics are a critical revenue stream for these countries, as demand for renewable energy increases and demand for fossil fuel energy declines.⁴ These conflicting agendas of short-term gains over long-term sustainability means we may face significant barriers to progress in any future treaty negotiations.
Following this week’s INC meeting, many are particularly disappointed that delaying meaningful action allows plastic production to continue growing unchecked. The further we go down this path, the harder it is to reverse the environmental and human health impacts of plastic for ourselves and future generations. With plastic being viewed as one of the planet’s most pressing issues, this is a missed opportunity for global leadership and collective action to move towards a more sustainable future.
Until meaningful progress is made, advocates for plastic action remain committed to leading by example, reducing their plastic footprint and advocating for scalable solutions within singular countries and regions. Progress has to start somewhere — often at the grassroots level — with individuals and companies continuing to forge ahead.
Sources:
1 GlobeScan. (November 20, 2024). Global Public Concern over Microplastics. GlobeScan. Retrieved December 5,, 2024, from https://globescan.com/2024/11/20/insight-of-the-week-global-public-concern-over-microplastics/
2 UN Environment Programme. (n.d.). Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution. UN Environment Programme. Retrieved December 5, 2024, from https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution?utm_source=chatgpt.com
3 Joyce Lee and Valerie Volcovici. (December 2, 2024.). Countries Fail to Reach Agreement in UN Plastic Talks. Reuters. Retrieved December 5, 2024, from
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/over-100-countries-back-plastic-treaty-caps-talks-reach-fierce-finish-2024-11-30/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
4 DNV. (n.d.). Energy Transition Outlook: The Fall of Fossil Fuels. DNV. Retrieved December 5, 2024, from https://www.dnv.com/energy-transition-outlook/fall-of-fossil-fuels/#:~:text=Demand%20will%20decrease%20slowly%20between,be%2045%25%20lower%20than%20today.
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