“Plastic life cycle” needs to be rethought, warns UN agency

An ambitious global treaty on plastics is the main bet to overcome the pollution. By the end of 2024, countries are expected to complete negotiation of a global agreement to end plastic pollution.

UN treaty against plastic pollution advances and final text should be published in November

Some 175 countries have agreed to develop, by November, a draft of what could become the first global treaty to reduce plastic pollution by the end of next year. The decision emerged from a last-minute meeting led by France and Brazil and was adopted at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

End plastic pollution

The decision was adopted at the 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (Unea), in March 2022. The resolution was hailed as the most important multilateral environmental pact since the Paris Agreement on climate change. 

What is the Paris Agreement? And why is it so important?

The Paris Agreement is an international treaty that has one main objective: to reduce global warming. In practice, it seeks to prevent a 2ºC increase in global temperature in relation to the pre-industrial era, encouraging the creation of mechanisms to reduce the impact of climate change and the replacement of sources that emit greenhouse gases. O Curto explains more about one of the most important climate commitments in existence, quick game. 🤓

Decisions taken during these negotiations could radically transform the way plastics are produced, consumed and disposed of, as the objective is to develop a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, created to draft the treaty, is organized by UNEP and composed of delegates from Member States.

Since Unea-5, participants have been meeting to work out the details of the legal instrument. The first session was held in November 2022 in Punta del Este, Uruguay, with more than 2,3 participants from 160 countries and stakeholder groups. The second round of negotiations took place in Paris, France, last week.

Plastic life cycle

Although plastic pollution is often framed as a waste management issue, the concept encompasses all negative effects and emissions resulting from the production and consumption of plastic materials and products throughout their life cycle.

From the extraction and processing of raw materials to design, manufacturing, distribution, use and disposal, plastics impact the health of people and the planet.

A life cycle approach helps identify and consider all potential impacts caused by plastic products, services and their alternatives at each stage of the value chain.

For UNEP, all stages must be addressed to reduce pollution and waste.

Relevant facts

According to UNEP, the world produces 430 million tons of plastic annually. Only 9% is recycled. At the current rate, plastic production is expected to triple by 2060.

The agency warns that two thirds of plastic products have a cycle curto, being quickly discarded.

UNEP also warns that the social and environmental costs caused by plastic pollution are high: US$1,3 trillion per year.

It is estimated that the world generated 139 million metric tons of single-use plastic waste in 2021. This is equivalent to more than 13,7 Eiffel Towers. 😱

With the implementation of new habits, the plastic chain could create 700 jobs for informal workers.

(With UN News)

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