UN talks aim to seal deal on plastic pollution crisis
"We are facing a global crisis," Ecuadoran diplomat Luis Vayas Valdivieso told the more than 1,800 negotiators as they prepared to thrash out their differences in the search for common ground. "Plastic pollution is damaging ecosystems, polluting our oceans and rivers, threatening biodiversity, harming human health, and unfairly impacting the most vulnerable," he said. "The urgency is real, the evidence is clear – and the responsibility is on us."
Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body. But after five rounds of talks, three years of negotiations hit the wall in Busan, South Korea, in December when oil-producing states blocked a consensus.
Pathway to deal
Key figures steering this revived attempt insist a deal is within reach this time around. "There's been extensive diplomacy from Busan till now," the UN Environment Programme's Executive Director Inger Andersen told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Most countries, actually, that I have spoken with have said: 'We're coming to Geneva to strike the deal.' Will it be easy? No. Will it be straightforward? No. Is there a pathway for a deal? Absolutely."
More than 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which is for single-use items. While 15 percent of plastic waste is collected for recycling, only nine percent is actually recycled. Nearly half, or 46 percent, ends up in landfills, while 17 percent is incinerated and 22 percent is mismanaged and becomes litter.
In 2022, countries agreed they would find a way to address the crisis by the end of 2024. However, the supposedly final negotiations on a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the seas, flopped in Busan. One group of countries sought an ambitious deal to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals. But a clutch of mostly oil-producing nations rejected production limits and wanted to focus on treating waste.
Production cap gap
A cap on plastic production is one of the thorniest issues being debated in Geneva. Katrin Schneeberger, the director of Switzerland's environment ministry, told the opening press conference: "This is no call for a production cap. Clarifying this in informal meetings was an important message to producing countries."
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More than 600 non-governmental organizations are in Geneva, and this time have access to the discussion group meetings. "We have to stop making so much plastic," Greenpeace's delegation chief Graham Forbes told AFP. The group and its allies want a treaty "that cuts plastic production, eliminates toxic chemicals and provides the financing that's going to be required to transition to a fossil fuel, plastic-free future," he said. "The fossil fuel industry is here in force," he noted, adding: "We cannot let a few countries determine humanity's future when it comes to plastic pollution."
Panama's delegate Juan Monterrey Gomez – a fellow proponent of an ambitious treaty – voiced optimism that a treaty could be struck on August 14. "The beginning is better than Busan," he said of the start of talks. No country wanting to be held responsible for sinking the negotiations "is probably the biggest trigger we can push," he told AFP.
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LeMonde
6 hours ago
- LeMonde
UN talks aim to seal deal on plastic pollution crisis
The 184 countries gathering to forge a landmark treaty on combating plastic pollution were told on Tuesday, August 5, they must find a way to tackle a global crisis wrecking ecosystems and trashing the oceans. States should seize the chance to shape history, the man chairing the talks said as 10 days of negotiations kicked off at the United Nations in Geneva. "We are facing a global crisis," Ecuadoran diplomat Luis Vayas Valdivieso told the more than 1,800 negotiators as they prepared to thrash out their differences in the search for common ground. "Plastic pollution is damaging ecosystems, polluting our oceans and rivers, threatening biodiversity, harming human health, and unfairly impacting the most vulnerable," he said. "The urgency is real, the evidence is clear – and the responsibility is on us." Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body. But after five rounds of talks, three years of negotiations hit the wall in Busan, South Korea, in December when oil-producing states blocked a consensus. Pathway to deal Key figures steering this revived attempt insist a deal is within reach this time around. "There's been extensive diplomacy from Busan till now," the UN Environment Programme's Executive Director Inger Andersen told Agence France-Presse (AFP). "Most countries, actually, that I have spoken with have said: 'We're coming to Geneva to strike the deal.' Will it be easy? No. Will it be straightforward? No. Is there a pathway for a deal? Absolutely." More than 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which is for single-use items. While 15 percent of plastic waste is collected for recycling, only nine percent is actually recycled. Nearly half, or 46 percent, ends up in landfills, while 17 percent is incinerated and 22 percent is mismanaged and becomes litter. In 2022, countries agreed they would find a way to address the crisis by the end of 2024. However, the supposedly final negotiations on a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the seas, flopped in Busan. One group of countries sought an ambitious deal to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals. But a clutch of mostly oil-producing nations rejected production limits and wanted to focus on treating waste. Production cap gap A cap on plastic production is one of the thorniest issues being debated in Geneva. Katrin Schneeberger, the director of Switzerland's environment ministry, told the opening press conference: "This is no call for a production cap. Clarifying this in informal meetings was an important message to producing countries." New Le Monde's app Get the most out of your experience: download the app to enjoy Le Monde in English anywhere, anytime Download More than 600 non-governmental organizations are in Geneva, and this time have access to the discussion group meetings. "We have to stop making so much plastic," Greenpeace's delegation chief Graham Forbes told AFP. The group and its allies want a treaty "that cuts plastic production, eliminates toxic chemicals and provides the financing that's going to be required to transition to a fossil fuel, plastic-free future," he said. "The fossil fuel industry is here in force," he noted, adding: "We cannot let a few countries determine humanity's future when it comes to plastic pollution." Panama's delegate Juan Monterrey Gomez – a fellow proponent of an ambitious treaty – voiced optimism that a treaty could be struck on August 14. "The beginning is better than Busan," he said of the start of talks. No country wanting to be held responsible for sinking the negotiations "is probably the biggest trigger we can push," he told AFP.
France 24
14 hours ago
- France 24
UN starts new bid to forge plastics treaty amid 'global crisis'
"We are facing a global crisis," Ecuadoran diplomat Luis Vayas Valdivieso said at the start of 10 days of negotiations. "Plastic pollution is damaging ecosystems, polluting our oceans and rivers, threatening biodiversity, harming human health, and unfairly impacting the most vulnerable," he said. "The urgency is real, the evidence is clear, and the responsibility is on us." Three years of negotiations hit the wall in Busan, South Korea in December when oil-producing states blocked a consensus. Key figures steering the negotiations at this new attempt said they were not expecting an easy ride this time, but insisted a deal remained within reach. "There's been extensive diplomacy from Busan till now," UN Environment Programme executive director Inger Andersen told AFP. UNEP is hosting the talks, and Andersen said conversations between different regions and interest groups had generated momentum. "Most countries, actually, that I have spoken with have said: 'We're coming to Geneva to strike the deal'. "Will it be easy? No. Will it be straightforward? No. Is there a pathway for a deal? Absolutely." Human bodies riddled Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body. In 2022, countries agreed they would find a way to address the crisis by the end of 2024. However, the supposedly final negotiations on a legally-binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the seas, flopped in Busan. One group of countries sought an ambitious deal to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals. But a clutch of mostly oil-producing nations rejected production limits and wanted to focus on treating waste. Valdivieso insisted that an effective, fair and ambitious agreement was within reach. "Our paths and positions might differ; our destination is the same," he said Monday. "We are all here because we believe in a shared cause: a world free of plastic pollution." 'Plastic-free future' More than 600 non-governmental organisations are in Geneva. NGOs and civil society have access to the discussions tackling the thorniest points, such as banning certain chemicals and capping production. "To solve the plastic pollution crisis, we have to stop making so much plastic," Greenpeace delegation chief Graham Forbes told AFP. The group and its allies want a treaty "that cuts plastic production, eliminates toxic chemicals, and provides the financing that's going to be required to transition to a fossil fuel, plastic-free future", he said. "The fossil fuel industry is here in force," he noted, adding: "We cannot let a few countries determine humanity's future when it comes to plastic pollution." Dumped, burned and trashed More than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which is for single-use items. While 15 percent of plastic waste is collected for recycling, only nine percent is actually recycled. Nearly half, 46 percent, ends up in landfills, while 17 percent is incinerated and 22 percent is mismanaged and becomes litter. A report in The Lancet medical journal warned Monday that plastic pollution was a "grave, growing and under-recognised danger" to health, costing the world at least $1.5 trillion a year in health-related economic losses. The new review of existing evidence, conducted by leading health researchers and doctors, compared plastic to air pollution and lead, saying its impact on health could be mitigated by laws and policies. To hammer home the message, a replica outside the UN of Auguste Rodin's famous sculpture "The Thinker" will be slowly submerged in mounting plastic rubbish during the talks. The artwork, entitled "The Thinker's Burden", is being constructed by the Canadian artist and activist Benjamin Von Wong. "If you want to protect health, then we need to think about the toxic chemicals that are entering our environment," he told AFP. But Matthew Kastner, spokesman for the American Chemistry Council, said the plastics industry and its products were "vital to public health", notably through medical devices, surgical masks, child safety seats, helmets and pipes delivering clean water.
LeMonde
14 hours ago
- LeMonde
The only solution for Gaza and the hostages? International pressure
New unbearable footage has been added to the months-long account of the ordeal Palestinians in Gaza have suffered. This time, the videos, released by Hamas on July 31, show two Israeli hostages, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski. Ever since they were abducted on October 7, 2023, the two hostages have been held captive in the maze of tunnels the Islamist militia organization built to shield itself from bombardment, regardless of the cost to civilians. These latest shocking and obscene displays of the war crime that is hostage-taking follow similar images that appeared during hostage releases in January and February, which were made possible by a ceasefire at the time. They confirm that Hamas has been completely discredited since committing the barbaric attack 22 months ago, and can no longer claim to play any role in Gaza once the guns finally fall silent. The footage also serves as a reminder that, by itself, war cannot achieve the result sought by the ruling coalition in Israel: the total and definitive eradication of Hamas. Such an outcome can only be reached by opening up a political process that will delegitimize the group's bloody extremism – a fanaticism echoed by Israel's far right, notably when it contemplates ethnically cleansing the narrow strip of land, before, surely, doing the same to whole parts of the occupied West Bank. This outcome is precisely what more than 500 Israeli former senior security officials have advocated. In a statement titled "Stop the Gaza War!" published on August 4, they argued that Israel's main war goals have already been met and that the last remaining objective, freeing the remaining hostages, can "only be achieved through a deal." The end of the conflict also means ending the instrumentalization of famine against the Palestinians in Gaza, a famine of which the hostages are also victims. It would require the resumption of aid operations entrusted to United Nations agencies that have proven their competence, unlike the current improvised Israeli-American humanitarian organization, which has had a disastrous track record. Boosted by their prestige, the former senior officials did not address their appeal to Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, but to the president of the United States, Donald Trump. They confirmed that nothing can be expected from Israel's coalition government, which unilaterally ended the painstakingly negotiated cease-fire in January. They also said that pressure, when applied by Israel's powerful American ally, is the only way to force Netanyahu to yield. Their strong message, accompanied by a video in which a former director of Israel's security services stated that the Gaza war "stopped being a just war" and "is leading the State of Israel to the loss of its security and identity," deserves to be heard. When these figures call for the establishment of a "regional-international coalition that helps the Palestinian Authority (once reformed) to offer Gazans and all Palestinians an alternative to Hamas," they are, in their own way, supporting the joint initiative launched by France and Saudi Arabia, aimed at reviving the two-state solution. No one can be satisfied with a ceasefire that offers no diplomatic prospects. Internationalizing the Israel-Palestine conflict by mobilizing a coalition of the willing is now a necessity.
