UN launches fresh push to create plastics treaty amid global crisis
b>Global Plastics Talks in Geneva
In a meeting that gathered delegates from 180 nations, the United Nations intensified its push for a treaty aimed at ending the perilous accumulation of plastic waste.
1. Why the Debate Matters
- Microplastics Now Everywhere – tiny particles have reached the highest peaks, the deepest trenches, and even the inner chambers of human bodies.
- Health Risks Are Tangible – a latest study in The Lancet highlighted that plastic pollution could cost the global economy at least $1.5 trillion annually in health‑related losses.
2. Negotiation History
Three years of talks reached a dead‑lock in Busan when oil‑producing states vetoed a consensus. In Geneva, however, delegates agree a deal is still attainable.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen told AFP that “most countries I have spoken with are coming to Geneva to strike the deal.”
3. The Agenda
Besides banning certain chemicals and capping production, the treaty must address:
- Reducing Plastics Production
- Eliminating Toxic Chemicals
- Financing the Transition
4. Stakeholder Voices
More than 600 non‑governmental organisations (NGOs) are actively participating. Greenpeace’s Graham Forbes emphasized:
“Solving plastic pollution requires cutting plastic production.”
Conversely, Matthew Kastner, spokesman for the American Chemistry Council, defended the industry’s role in public health by citing medical devices, masks, and water‑delivery pipes.
5. The Symbolic Sculpture
A replica of Auguste Rodin’s classic sculpture, “The Thinker,” stands outside the UN. The Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong, creating “The Thinker’s Burden,” plans to submerge the artwork in the mounting plastic rubbish during the talks.
“If you want to protect health, then we need to think about the toxic chemicals that are entering our environment.”
