Negotiations for the world’s first treaty agreement to curb plastic pollution cannot fail and must address both production and consumption, the United Nations environment chief told AFP on Monday.
Opinions among those involved in the negotiations are sharply divided on issues such as limits on new plastic production and the phasing out of some chemicals, raising concerns that the negotiations could break down.
“You can’t enjoy failure,” Inger Andersen said, recalling the “massive plastics crisis.”
“No one wants to find plastic in the placenta or fetal blood.”
The negotiations began hours after COP29 climate change talks in Baku, went into overtime and ended in an agreement that many developing countries condemned outright.
Battle lines were quickly drawn in Busan, with several countries initially opposing the document, which was intended to streamline negotiations.
Andersen said the fight at this year’s COP29 and the biodiversity consultations that preceded it “will not in any way confer negative priority.”
“Were you frustrated at certain times of the day…of course,” she admitted.
However, “it’s only the first day.”
“On the contrary, today I am not going to give up and say all is lost.”
– “The stakes are high” –
Arguments over the procedure were resolved by late Monday, but negotiators now have to decide whether to reduce plastic production or limit chemicals known or thought to be harmful, or to close the deal. Substantive discussions are underway to address differences of opinion, such as how to finance the implementation of the Act.
Some countries, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, have decided to limit the focus of the treaty to improving waste management, arguing that this is the main cause of plastic pollution on land, sea and air. He’s enthusiastic.
Without mentioning specific countries, Andersen said the U.N. resolution establishing the consultations is very clear and that delegations must “commit to sustainable production and consumption.”
“This is not a waste management treaty. It’s not just a downstream treaty,” she said.
“These are instructions to negotiators. There’s no wiggle room here.”
The depth of the disagreements and time pressure have raised concerns among some environmental groups that delegates may settle for a weak treaty to reach an agreement.
Andersen said he was confident the countries were working on a strong agreement.
“The stakes are high, but the commitment we have in the hole there is also high,” she said.
“No one wants a bad deal.”
Negotiators have until December 1 to agree on the text, but overruns at COP29 and pre-event biodiversity consultations have left many skeptical that talks will conclude on time. It becomes.
“The truth is, negotiators only have so much time in the day, and they work day and night,” Andersen said.
“I hope we don’t have to ask them to do something like that here either. But it might happen.”
