By Jean-Pierre A.
Following the recent informal meeting of heads of delegations in plastics negotiations, held in Nairobi, Kenya to advance a global plastic treaty, the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), an advocacy group, has criticised what it termed faltering multilateralism.
The ongoing global negotiations to end plastic pollution, seek to develop an international legally binding treaty that could stop the production of plastics responsible for environment pollution and marine environment degradation.
Last week, the United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP), hosted Informal in-person Heads of Delegation (HODs) meeting from 30 June to 3 July. The meeting was preceded by regional consultations at the same venue.
The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC), a United Nations-led negotiating body is tasked with developing a legally binding international treaty to endplastic pollution, including pollution in the marine environment. The INC began its work in the second half of 2022. It was established in 2022 after the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted Resolution 5/14 at the Fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
David Azoulay, Health program director, at Center for International Environmental Law Environmental, said in a press statement that the plastics treaty negotiations are resuming as trust in multilateralism is faltering. “These negotiations are a test of whether multilateralism can still deliver. ”
According to CEIL, observers were not invited to the recent Nairobi negotiations, while member states sent the top negotiators- signalling that the effort to solve the plastics crisis matters. However, the environment protection group, decries what appears to be exclusion of the civil society.
“Participation is not a privilege; it’s a right, ” Azoulav further said.” There is no pathway to justice and a just transition without the people most affected by the crisis having a voice in shaping the solution.”
The advocacy group notes that Informational webinars before and after a session are no replacement for genuine participation.
Azoulay argues that “Walking into this closed-door meeting, Government delegates had a choice: follow the path of least resistance and surrender to the tyranny of consensus, or push for a treaty grounded in the best available science that actually fulfils the mandate to end plastic pollution and restore faith in multilateralism.”
The rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution represent a serious global environmental issue that negatively impacts the environmental, social, economic and health dimensions of sustainable development.
UNEP says, humanity was expected to consume over 500 million tonnes of plastics in 2024 alone, with a large share of this used plastics quickly becoming 400 million tonnes of plastic waste.
According to the UN environment agency, under a business-as-usual scenario and in the absence of urgent action and necessary interventions, global plastic waste could almost triple, reaching around 1.2 billion tonnes by 2060.
Azoulay, expressed hope in the summary of the recent Nairobi meeting, adding he expects the root causes of plastic pollution will be addressed.
“We look forward to the Chair’s official summary of the meeting and the future draft text. We hope that both accurately and comprehensively reflect measures addressing all the root causes of plastic pollution, and not only those limited to waste management, as well as those proposals that already have the support of the majority of countries for breaking the deadlock of consensus.”
