New Delhi: The Global Plastics Treaty is aimed at eliminating global plastic use and has around 175 United Nations member nations. It recently concluded its fourth round of negotiations. The goal of the treaty is finalising a legal document by the end of 2024 which would include timelines by when countries must agree to curb plastic production, eliminate its uses that create wastage, ban certain chemicals used in its production and set targets for recycling.

An agreement not yet finalised and a fifth round of negotiations is to be held in Busan, South Korea in November. Many hurdles to an agreement are being seen by various parties. From economic concerns to how the language of the document is framed, a final agreement still seems distant.

The massive global dependence on plastic and lack of alternatives also make it difficult to completely eliminate plastic use. The treaty may not come into action any time soon but concentrated efforts by all parties should be seen as a hopeful sign.

The use of plastic is today intricately attached to nearly all aspects of our practical everyday existence. Every year, the world produces over 462 million tons of plastic.

While it is useful, it is also extremely polluting, especially microplastics and the numerous single-use items we regularly use. According to several reports, an estimated 9 million to 14 million tons of plastic waste ends up in our oceans each year.

At the current rate, global plastic pollution could triple by 2040 unless we take immediate action and the Global Plastic Treaty is aimed to do just this.

Its goal is to bring in legally binding global agreements that define tangible steps and give realistic timelines to minimise and eventually end plastic use.

In March 2022, the UN Environmental Assembly convened in Nairobi, Kenya, to debate the global plastic crisis. This was a historic step which saw 175 nations vote to adopt a global treaty for plastic pollution. The goal was to bring about a timeline till 2025. It also aims to hold all nations equally accountable to end plastic use and incentivise nations to come together to fulfil this goal.

While the Treaty and commitments made in its meetings are commendable, the intensity of our current dependence on plastic makes it extremely unrealistic. The scale of the economic incentives that are entwined with plastic usage also make it undesirable for many to do away with it.

The material is so versatile that there are not many competitors to it when it comes to the flexibility of its use. It is cheap compared to other competitive materials and as a result is practically irreplaceable currently.

While we today realise the threats it poses to our natural environment from causing excessive marine pollution to exacerbating the rate of climate change, only a massive globally coordinated effort can reduce plastic use, let alone end it. Many countries have brought in rules to curb plastic use in some way or the other, including India, but it seems not much changes in the scale of its use. A Global Plastic Treaty is also not able to align everyone’s priorities on plastic usage at the moment.

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