Global Plastics Treaty

Source-This post on Global Plastics Treaty has been created based on the article “Plastic pollution cannot stop by treaties, without investment in alternatives” published in “The Hindu” on 8 May 2024.

UPSC Syllabus-GS Paper-3- Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Context– There is another round of negotiations scheduled in Busan, South Korea this November for finalizing global plastic treaty. This article highlights the reasons behind the delay in adoption of Global Plastic Treaty and stance taken by India. Global Plastics Treaty

What is the global distribution of plastic pollution?

According to a report by the non-profit EA Earth Action, Brazil, China, India, and the US are responsible for 60% of plastic waste globally.

What is the Global Plastics Treaty and its objectives?

Description-The Global Plastics Treaty is an ambitious initiative involving over 175 UN member nations aimed at eliminating plastics.

Objective– By the end of 2024, the aim is to create a legal document setting out deadlines for countries to decrease plastic production, cut out unnecessary uses, prohibit specific chemicals, and set recycling goals.

 What are the reasons behind the delay in adoption of Global Plastic Treaty?

1) Economic Challenges-Economic challenges are slowing down the agreement process. Countries like Saudi Arabia, the US, Russia, India, and Iran are reluctant to set strict deadlines to stop plastic production whereas some African countries, backed by several European nations, propose a target year of around 2040 to ensure a gradual reduction in plastic use.

2) Vote vs. Consensus -There is disagreement on whether contentious issues should be resolved by vote or consensus. Consensus implies that every country has a veto and in this case adoption of treaty will become very difficult.

Read more- The UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution

What is India’s stance on the Global Plastics Treaty?

1) India is not comfortable with binding targets and insists that the treaty should address factors like the availability, accessibility, and affordability of alternatives, considering cost implications.

2) India’s position reflects the idea of “common but differentiated responsibility,”. This is also observed in Indias climate change negotiations where India demanded that wealthier nations assist developing countries and adopt tougher targets themselves.

 What are the steps taken by India to tackle plastic pollution?

In 2022, India implemented the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules (2021), which banned 19 categories of “single use” plastics

What are the shortcomings of these initiatives?

1) This ban does not cover plastic bottles under 200 ml or multi-layered packaging boxes like milk cartons.

2) Enforcement of the ban on single-use plastic items varies across the country, with many outlets still selling these products.

Conclusion– Shifting away from plastics needs big investments in alternative products and making them cheap. Just signing treaties won’t tackle plastic pollution well without these investments and practical goals.

Question for practice

Highlight the reasons behind the delay in adoption of Global Plastic Treaty?