Corporations and Fossil Fuel producers undermine progress at global Plastic Treaty negotiations at the third UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) session to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution in Nairobi, Kenya from 13 to 19 November 2023. Countries with low ambitions successfully blocked attempts for a bold and effective treaty. Meanwhile, the supposed “High Ambition Coalition” (HAC) stood silently by, threatening the future of the process.
The zero draft of the legally binding instrument is concise and covers almost all stages of the plastic life cycle. Yet we are heading to a mess with the treaty mandate due to the divergent country positions on elements in the zero draft. We won’t have an effective plastics treaty by 2025 if things are not brought up to speed.
Indika Rajapaksha,
Centre for Environmental Justice/ Friends of the Earth Sri Lanka.
From oil extraction to production and waste, communities globally are impacted by every aspect of the life cycle of plastics. Countries in the Global South are especially affected by the global waste trade and dumping. The plastics treaty must bring an end to this waste colonialism by complementing existing measures under the Basel Convention which seeks to regulate the plastic waste trade. However, during last week’s negotiations, some countries ignored this reality and blocked the inclusion of trade provisions, citing the World Trade Organization Rules and other multilateral environmental agreements.
Trade measures, controls and coordination are crucial to guarantee that the Treaty provisions, including bans on certain types of plastic products, chemicals and additives, can be properly enforced. Binding upstream measures and strengthened governance of the Basel Convention are essential to address the social and environmental injustice and harms of plastics and plastic pollution.
Mageswari Sangaralingam
Sahabat Alam Malaysia/ Friends of the Earth Malaysia.
An analysis by the Center for International Environmental Law, supported by Greenpeace, Beyond Petrochemicals, International Pollutants Elimination Network, and Break Free From Plastic, shows the magnitude of corporate lobbying influence at the negotiations and may point to the cause of the disappointing outcome. The analysis found that 143 fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists registered for INC-3, a 36% increase from INC-2, and six Member States had fossil fuel and chemical company lobbyists in their delegation.
The spirit of Nairobi to end plastic pollution through an international legally binding instrument is completely invisible in the INC-3 process. Several oil-producing countries suspected of working with industrial groups such as oil, gas and petrochemicals, are obstructing a meaningful treaty that would lead to a reduction in plastic production. Meanwhile, the HAC do not appear serious about fighting for an effective and strong plastic treaty to protect the environment, health and human rights. This failure is very embarrassing and disappointing for the environment, affected communities and future generations.
Abdul Ghofar
Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI)/ Friends of the Earth Indonesia.
Voices from FoE Asia Pacific 