Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations: Progress and Challenges

• The Plastics Treaty Negotiations, involving around 180 countries, are nearing the final round.

• Progress is insufficient, with some countries insisting on a voting mechanism to account for majority views.

• The principle of one vote per country is upheld, with some countries reluctant to sign up to mandates on capping plastic production.

• The expected outcome is a legal text addressing all aspects of plastic, including production and targets to reduce or eliminate its use.

• The draft version of the text consists of 32 Articles, each line must be agreed to by all countries.

• India opposes Article 6 that seeks to limit plastic-polymer production, stating that it has larger implications on the right of development of member states.

• India supports Kuwait and a coalition of ‘Like Minded Countries’, which generally oppose measures that would restrict the production of plastics or certain chemicals used in their manufacture.

• Independent observers express disappointment at the pace of negotiations, stating that without effective measures in Articles 6 and 3, the curbing of plastic pollution across the full life cycle will not be accomplished.