In Ottawa, Canada, on Tuesday, April 30, negotiators from 175 countries ended the fourth round of talks to secure a plan on curbing plastic waste. The final round of talks will take place this November in South Korea.
The UN-led talks have faced an increase in participation from oil and gas industry lobbyists. This has caused a stalemate so far, with little progress made after the fourth round of talks.
Still, there is hope that lawmakers will reach an agreement by the end of the year.
The Prospects of a Global Plan to End Plastics
In 2022, the deal was made with the UN to come to an agreement on a plan to end plastic waste by 2024. Environmentalists point out that the plastic industry is doing its best to slow the progress of the agreement, especially when it comes to the agreed upon limit of future plastic production.
On the table are issues such as the immediate cut in global plastic production, the end of single-use plastics, and the failure of recycling to curb plastic pollution. Some of the biggest impediments to progress include oil-producing countries such as the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Russia.
Many environmentalists argue that the United States is advocating for recycling rather than setting a global cap on plastic production. Recycling, many groups claim, is ineffective at solving the current crises because of its overall cost.
Even with the resistance from countries with major oil and gas industries, other countries have shown signs of compromise. Over 50 nations expressed support for the plastic reduction targets.
Canadian Parliamentary Secretary Julie Dabrusin told reporters, “I’m really optimistic that we can get to an agreement by the end of the year… to end plastic pollution by 2040,”
A Global Problem with no Solution
In the last two decades, global plastic production has risen to over 460 million tonnes per year. This is more than double the amount produced in 2004. At the current rate, experts predict that plastic production will triple within a few decades.
Plastics now exist in every ecosystem on the planet. From the most remote corners of our oceans to the highest mountains, plastics are found in increasing amounts and even making it into our foods.
With no end in sight, environmentalists and participating countries see the UN-led treaty as the only way out of a serious mess. The consequences of which may be more significant than anyone wants to imagine.