The latest and most recent attempt to achieve a treaty against plastic pollution in Geneva ended without an agreement.
The failure was due to the strong pressure exerted by the petrochemical industry and the lack of consensus among the participating countries.
In response to this, environmental organizations and a large portion of civil society are demanding a reduction in production.
Plastic Pollution and an Unachieved Treaty: The Demand from Organizations
Julio Barea, waste manager at Greenpeace, explained to the media outlet Aristeguinoticias that the main objective of the summit was to achieve an international pact to reduce global plastic pollution.
The global treaty against plastic pollution failed.
However, he pointed out that the lobbying by the petrochemical industry, supported by some governments, hindered the possibility of moving forward with a consensus text.
Barea emphasized that, although the result was negative, it also sent a clear message from civil society: “It is better not to have a treaty than to have a bad treaty.” Environmental organizations stress that they will not accept a weak agreement that does not limit plastic production.
The Impact of Plastic on Health and the Environment
The specialist warned that plastic pollution not only affects ecosystems but also human health. According to recent studies, each person could be ingesting around five grams of microplastics per week through air, water, and food. This amounts to almost a quarter kilogram of plastic per year in the body.
Furthermore, Barea highlighted that the chemicals associated with these plastics can have unknown effects and potentially harmful to health, worsening the environmental emergency.
The Demand to Reduce Single-Use Plastics
At the summit, Greenpeace along with indigenous peoples, countries, and civil organizations, demanded a significant reduction in the production of single-use plastics. The proposal was to decrease 75% of the production of disposable plastics by 2040, considering they represent the majority of waste.
However, one of the main obstacles was the refusal of the petrochemical industry to decrease production. Barea explained that, with the decrease in demand for oil due to the transition to renewable energies, plastic manufacturing has become the most profitable business in the sector.
Corporate Lobbying and Lack of Consensus
The meeting in Geneva involved 200 to 300 delegates linked to the petrochemical industry, a number higher than the combined representation of the European Union countries. This imbalance, as pointed out by Barea, decisively influenced the final outcome.
The issue of plastic waste.
For this reason, Greenpeace proposes to modify the negotiation methodology for international treaties. Currently, if one country rejects the proposal, the agreement fails.
Environmental organizations demand that decisions can be approved by majority rule and without direct intervention from industry lobbying groups.
