Negotiations for the much-anticipated Global Plastics Treaty, aimed at addressing the burgeoning plastic crisis, recently came to a halt during discussions held in Busan, South Korea. These negotiations, which took place from November 25 to December 1, 2024, concluded with participants walking away without any binding resolutions, only managing to produce what was termed a "Chair’s Text," which serves as a vague starting point for future talks.
The breakdown of discussions has raised eyebrows globally, particularly as leading declarations of commitment, such as the one from the United Nations General Assembly in 2022, aimed for the treaty to be finalized by 2024. Despite overwhelming scientific consensus surrounding the grave impacts of plastic pollution, diverging narratives among the nations remain barriers to progress.
Maria Ivanova, director of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University, has been closely following these negotiations as either a delegate or observer. She remarks on the apparent stalemate, "What was supposed to be the final session of negotiations ended with stakeholders competing on vastly different solutions to the plastic crisis."
She emphasized the urgent need for agreement on issues such as limits on plastic production and enhanced waste management strategies.
The crux of the negotiation impasse lies between two polarized camps: the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) and its allies on one side, arguing for comprehensive action throughout the entire lifecycle of plastics, and on the other, states heavily reliant on the petrochemical industry. The latter group has resisted addressing the production of plastics directly, instead opting to highlight failures in recycling frameworks and waste management processes.
Contributing to the complexity of the treaty's development is the perspective of waste pickers—those informal, often marginalized laborers. Waste pickers are foundational to recycling efforts, especially across the Global South, where they collect, sort, and repurpose waste materials. Their role is being increasingly recognized even as their livelihoods often depend on operating outside of formal systems. They have voiced their demands through representatives at the treaty talks, calling for acknowledgment of their contributions and improvements to their working conditions.
Recent discourse surrounding plastic waste management, especially within informal recycling contexts, has called attention to the precariousness of waste pickers' positions. While they play significant roles in tackling environmental challenges associated with plastic, they remain entrenched within systems of social and economic inequality. Without proper recognition or support, their contributions may be overshadowed by broader market-driven solutions.
Greenpeace analysis has also expressed concern, particularly over corporate commitments from giants like Coca-Cola. Just as negotiations faltered, Coca-Cola announced it would abandon a previously stated goal of converting 25% of its beverage volume to reusable packaging by 2030. This reversal has drawn sharp criticism from environmental advocates, who assert the company’s promises have fallen far short of impactful action. Greenpeace’s Oceans Campaign Director, John Hocevar, condemned the company's retreat on this commitment, pointing out its long-standing reputation as the world’s worst plastic polluter.
This highlights another facet of the treaty discussions: the struggle for corporate accountability. Under the current frameworks, corporations often escape substantial repercussions for their plastic usage policies. Hocevar noted, "If we leave it to companies like Coca-Cola, we will all be choking on plastic waste. We need governments to act at the state, national, and international levels to ban single-use plastic packaging and reduce plastic production.”
Real transformations will require not only governmental reinforcements of regulations but also collaborative approaches bridging informal waste management sectors with formal economies. Advocates argue for adjustments to circular economy principles to genuinely include those affected by plastic waste, particularly marginalized communities.
So what’s next for the Global Plastics Treaty? With discussions expected to resume tentatively around mid-2025, the hope lies within gathering broader agreement on pressing issues, including establishing legitimate accountability measures for corporations, addressing plastic production limits, and ensuring inclusion of informal recyclers at the negotiating table. Until substantial progress materializes, the dangers posed by plastic pollution will only continue to swell, alongside the need for urgent action and equitable solutions.