Nations Renew Push for Global Plastic Treaty in Nairobi Talks

Nations are reconvening in Nairobi, Kenya, for another attempt to forge a global, binding treaty to curb the escalating crisis of plastic pollution. This follows the unsuccessful conclusion of a UN summit in Geneva last year, where years of preparatory negotiations failed to yield a historic agreement.

Belgium, represented by its co-delegation leader Sophie Mirgaux Dillien, is participating in the conference, advocating for a robust agreement aligned with the European Union's stance. While Saudi Arabia has proposed a framework focusing on recycling, the EU and other nations are pushing for a broader approach, including the exploration of alternative, less harmful chemicals in plastic production.

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China is taking a constructive approach.

Disagreements, particularly from oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia, were cited as a major obstacle in Geneva. These nations, with significant economic interests in oil and gas, key raw materials for plastics, are seen as slowing down progress, drawing parallels to the dynamics in climate change negotiations. The urgency is underscored by projections from the OECD, which forecast a tripling of plastic production by 2060, reaching approximately 450 million tons annually, and the World Wildlife Fund's estimate that plastic waste in oceans could quadruple by 2050.

The current Nairobi meeting, involving smaller delegations and without NGOs, is under a new chairperson, Julio Cordano of Chile. It is considered vital for setting the foundation for a potentially strong treaty to be agreed upon next year, aiming to address the environmental and potential human health risks associated with the ever-growing plastic waste.

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It is somewhat comparable to climate talks: oil and gas producing countries are hitting the brakes, and are opposed by other countries that want to move quickly.