Solutions for Global Plastics Treaty to be sought in Geneva on 5–14 August
Representatives of UN Member States will negotiate on the Global Plastics Treaty in Geneva, Switzerland on 5–14 August. The negotiation situation is very challenging, and there is also an increasing political pressure to reach an agreement. The demanding foreign policy situation has also made the negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty more difficult.
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) set up an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in 2022 to develop a Global Plastics Treaty. The task of the INC was to draw up a legally binding instrument that addresses the full life cycle of plastics and plastic pollution in all environments, including the marine environment. The objective is to eliminate environmental pollution caused by plastics.
In Geneva, the aim is to reach a consensus on the content of the treaty. The treaty is scheduled to be adopted at a diplomatic conference at the end of 2025.
“We need global, concerted action to tackle plastic pollution. I hope that we will reach an understanding in Geneva and move past the disagreements of the previous rounds of negotiations. Despite the challenging situation, most UN Member States share a strong will to reach an effective treaty. Finland is one of these countries,” says Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala, who chairs the Finnish delegation in the negotiations.
Limiting plastics production and financing treaty implementation as critical issues
The negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty were extended into 2025, as no agreement was reached in the negotiations held in Busan, South Korea at the end of 2024. A proposal prepared by the Chair of the INC will serve as the starting point for the negotiations in Geneva. The proposal covers all stages of the life cycle of plastics, including production, product design, consumption, recycling and appropriate waste management. The proposal also contains common obligations binding on all countries.
“Finding a solution requires flexibility from both developing and developed countries, otherwise an agreement cannot be reached. However, to be effective enough, the treaty should cover the entire life cycle of plastics,” says Finland's Chief Negotiator Tuulia Toikka.
One of the key issues where the views of the countries diverge is whether the target to reduce plastics production should be included in the new Plastics Treaty. Other contentious issues include restrictions on plastic products and the harmful chemicals contained in them as well as financing for the implementation of the treaty.
Together with a group of around 100 countries with a high ambition, the EU is in favour of including plastics production in the treaty. In terms of the economic policy, it is difficult for the large plastic and oil producing countries to accept that the sustainable level of the production is being considered in the process. The topics to be negotiated also include global restrictions on single-use plastic products and rules for sustainable design of plastic products. The treaty also aims to promote recycling, waste management and the prevention of emissions.
The implementation of the Global Plastics Treaty will require support, especially for developing countries. The European Union considers that the present funds should be used for financing the implementation. In addition, private financing should be mobilised in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle.
Negotiations on the Plastics Treaty are part of efforts to find solutions to global triple crisis
The negotiations on the Plastics Treaty are part of the efforts to find solutions to the global triple crisis – climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. The main reason for starting the negotiations was the significant ecological harm that plastic waste causes to the global marine ecosystems.
Plastics are a problem in terms of the climate as well. By 2040, greenhouse gas emissions caused by the production, use and disposal of plastics may account for as much as 19% of the global carbon dioxide emissions.
During the previous 50 years, the global use of plastics has grown 20-fold, and plastics use has been estimated to at least double in the following 20 years. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, less than 10% of the plastics used in the world is recycled, about 12% is burned and the rest ends up in landfills or the environment. Based on the WWF’s report, plastic waste kills as many as 100,000 sea mammals every year and specimens of more than 900 marine species have been found to have swallowed plastic or become entangled in it.
Inquiries
Eemil Nuuttila
Special Adviser to the Minister of Climate and the Environment
tel. 0443328332
[email protected]
Tuulia Toikka
Ministerial Adviser
tel. 0405524054
[email protected]