global plastic pollution treaty
The world is drowning in plastic, with 57 million tons of pollution annually
The world generates an astonishing 57 million tons of plastic pollution every year, spreading from the depths of the oceans to inside human bodies, with two-thirds coming from the Global South, according to a recent study.
In short:
- Researchers found that the Global South produces more than two-thirds of the world’s plastic waste, much of it due to lack of infrastructure and government waste management.
- The study received criticism, however, for not examining the toll of plastic production, which generates planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants harmful to human health.
- Microplastics, from improperly discarded waste, are increasingly found in human bodies, with uncertain health consequences.
- Final negotiations on a global plastics treaty are scheduled for November, aiming to address this growing problem.
Key quote:
“They [microplastics] are in the most remote places ... the peaks of Everest, in the Mariana Trench in the ocean, in what we breathe and what we eat and what we drink.”
— Costas Velis, University of Leeds environmental engineering professor
Why this matters:
All eyes are on the global plastics treaty negotiations in November, as world leaders try to rein in this crisis before it spirals further. If they succeed, we could finally see a coordinated effort to curb this plastic tidal wave.
Read more: Scientists say health should be the core of global plastic treaty.
New global discussions focus on halting plastic pollution
Thousands gather in Ottawa to draft a legally-binding treaty aimed at halting the surge of plastic pollution worldwide. Will it protect the environment and human health?
In short:
- Global representatives are working to finalize a treaty that could dramatically alter plastic production and its environmental impacts.
- The treaty's scope may include limits on production, hazardous chemicals and waste management, influenced by various international interests.
- By the end of 2024, nations aim to adopt the first legally binding treaty to significantly reduce plastic pollution worldwide.
Key quote:
"People globally are disgusted by what they see. The straw in the turtle’s nose, the whale full of fishing gear. I mean, this is not the world we want to be in."
— Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP
Why this matters:
This treaty seeks to address not only the visible effects of plastic pollution but also its underlying ties to fossil fuel use and climate change. Progress was slow in the first three rounds of talks, which started at the end of 2022. Some countries, like the U.S., have largely supported voluntary measures to control plastic pollution -- a position that advocates say is insufficient to solve the plastic problem as global production continues to ramp up. As negotiations move forward in Ottawa, some groups are pushing the Biden administration to take a leadership role in the plastic treaty talks.
