WC139 NovDec 2024 - Magazine - Page 31
crobeads and improved waste management
“New global rules are being debated that would regulate
systems.
Support for countries to implement the
plastic production and consumption in ways that reduce the
treaty: This would include financial and techharmful impacts of single-use plastic products.”
nical assistance to help countries implement
the treaty’s provisions.
What can one expect during the next
phase of the global plastics treaty talks? To
answer this question, I spoke with one key expert on these
measures to curb plastic production, consumption and pollution.
negotiations. Julie Teel Simmonds is an attorney with the
Voluntary and other half-measures developed by countries
non-profit US-based Center for Biological Diversity. Here is
acting alone have not and will not work, so mandatory measures
what she told me:
that reduce plastic production and pollution at every step must
“The Global Plastics Treaty process must focus like a laser on
be a priority.
curbing plastic production, which is the single most important
The U.S. delegation and other negotiators also need to be
way to end the plastics crisis.
prepared to identify and reject false solutions, such as ‘chemical’
If we make fewer plastic products, air and water pollution
or ‘advanced recycling.’ These are efforts by the industry to justify
across the plastics lifecycle will decrease and less plastic will
producing more and more harmful plastics instead of embracing
ultimately end up in the ocean, wildlife and our bodies. A treaty
a truly circular materials economy.
won’t be successful unless it starts with that phase-down objective.
Commitments to center workers, communities, human rights,
The petrochemical and fossil fuel industries that make plastic
climate and biodiversity in the fight against plastic, and to end
are actively lobbying against global, enforceable measures
government investments in and subsidies for the petrochemithat limit production, and including these companies in the
cal and plastics industries would also help propel the U.S. to a
negotiations creates a conflict of interest. The Center and other
leadership position.”
groups want the United Nations Environment Programme to
Right now, the U.S. is still in a ‘low ambition’ posture and
formally adopt measures to ensure that corporate polluters don’t
seems poised to try to water down the treaty by proposing weak
undermine this historic global effort.
provisions in lieu of strong global mandates. That said, it’s safe to
As an organization from the United States, a huge producer
remain cautiously optimistic that the U.S. delegation will pivot
and consumer of plastics, we’re also urging the U.S. governin response to the overwhelming science, the unacceptable risks,
ment to take a much stronger stance in negotiations than it
and the reasoning of other countries that are willing to do what
has to date. We want the United States to align with other
it takes with the speed required to protect health, climate and
countries pushing for mandatory, ambitious and enforceable
biodiversity.
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WATER C AN ADA • NOV EMBER/ DECEMBER 2024
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