A pledge by nations including Australia to establish a global treaty to end plastic pollution marks a major milestone, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia.
UN members have today adopted a negotiation mandate, which agreed to start the negotiation, for a legally binding treaty at the UN Environment Assembly meeting in Nairobi.
The treaty will create global rules and obligations for the full life cycle of plastic, setting standards for reducing plastic production, consumption and pollution, which will hold nations, businesses and society accountable in eliminating plastic pollution from the environment.
The full content of the treaty is expected to be developed for ratification by UN members by 2024.
Kate Noble, WWF-Australia’s No Plastics in Nature policy manager, said the decision was a historic moment in the battle against plastic pollution.
“The decision by all UN member states to start work on a plastic pollution treaty is a huge milestone and testament to the hard work of so many Australians, scientists and campaigners over many years,” Noble said.
“This treaty will help to shift the world to a circular economy where plastic is kept in use and out of nature.”
Pressure has been mounting on governments for a legally binding treaty to address the plastic pollution crisis. More than 2.2 million people around the world have signed a WWF petition calling for this, while over 130 global companies, and more than 1000 civil society organisations have also backed calls for a treaty.
As for Australia, nearly nine in 10 support a global treaty to combat plastic pollution, while almost 80 per cent think single-use plastics should be banned as soon as possible.
Noble commended the Australian government’s support for a legally binding treaty, but warned more hard work and leadership was required.
“Nearly nine out of 10 Australians think a plastic treaty is important, and it’s great to see our government taking this public mandate seriously, and supporting this UN process,” she said.
“As a vast country with amazing biodiversity and a huge coastline with some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, this is an issue on which Australia should be leading the conversation.
“If we’re going to regenerate Australia and build a more sustainable future, we need to tackle the products and processes that are contributing to the 130,000 tonnes of plastic that flows into Australia’s oceans every year.
“Today’s decision is incredibly important, but it really marks the start of the process. There will be a lot of hard work and strong leadership needed to ensure the treaty stops plastic pollution in its tracks, and Australia should be helping to shape that process.”
The adopted resolution, End Plastic Pollution: Towards a legally binding instrument, establishes an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee that will develop the specific content of the new treaty, with the aim of completing its work by the end of 2024.
The UN member states have decided that the following elements should be considered in developing the new treaty:
- Global objectives to tackle plastic pollution in marine and other environments and its impacts;
- Global obligations and measures along the full lifecycle of plastics, including on product design, consumption and waste management;
- A mechanism for providing policy-relevant scientific information and assessment;
- A mechanism for providing financial support to the treaty implementation;
- National and international cooperative measures;
- National action plans and reporting towards the prevention, reduction and elimination of plastic pollution; and
- Treaty implementation progress assessment.
The resolution also recognises that plastic pollution constitutes a threat to all environments and poses a risk to human health.
It recognises the role of the private sector and all stakeholders in developing and implementing the treaty, and emphasises that the problem should be solved through measures along the full lifecycle.
Jeff Angel, director of Boomerang Alliance, welcomed the development, saying it takes a big step in addressing the full lifecycle of plastic, including production and design, as well as waste and pollution.
“Fulfilment of the intention to finalise a treaty by 2024 can’t come soon enough,” Angel said.
“An effective treaty is predicted to reduce plastic pollution by 80 per cent by 2040, and virgin plastic by 55 per cent, but it is essential nations curb these drivers even faster. Australia is well placed to do this to protect our oceans and health.
“Without this, some could ignore their obligations and affected countries would be condemned to perpetually cleaning up plastic pollution, while manufacturers could avoid responsibility for the products they produce.”
