BUSAN, REPUBLIC OF KOREA —Indigenous People and environmental organizations attending what was supposed to be the final round of negotiations toward a global plastics treaty are disappointed that seven days of negotiations failed to deliver a breakthrough to protect the planet and communities from plastic pollution.
Observers from Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Environmental Defence Canada and Ecojustice are proud to be part of a global movement that achieved inspiring momentum over the past week for measures to cut global plastic production and eliminate chemicals of concern in plastics and problematic plastic products. More than 100 member states, including Canada, signed on to a proposed framework to reduce plastic production around the world. However, in the end it wasn’t enough to overcome resistance from a minority of oil producing nations who abused the spirit of consensus in the United Nations multilateral process to block progress.
“In what was overall a frustrating week, there were some bright spots and one of those was the clear message that the Canadian government sent in favour of binding and effective global measures to curb plastic production and use and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples,” said Karen Wirsig, Senior Program Manager for Plastics at Environmental Defence. “While we aren’t coming home with a Treaty, we expect the federal government will follow through on domestic action to stop plastic pollution. The lack of a treaty at this point does not stop Canada from acting at home.”
“Rights-holders and civil society participants have been clear throughout the negotiation process that there are key elements that must be included for the plastics treaty in order for it to meaningfully address the plastic pollution crises and protect people and the planet” said Melissa Gorrie, Law Reform Manager and Circular Economies Project Lead at Ecojustice. “There must be a recognition of Indigenous Rights (as articulated in the United Nations Declaration on the RIghts of Indigenous Peoples), protections for human rights and human health, control measures to restrict and eliminate chemicals of concern in plastics, a global plastic production reduction target to address the upstream impacts of plastic pollution, and adequate financial mechanisms to support treaty implementation by all parties.”
“While the Busan negotiations ended with a deadlock, it is undeniable that the majority of the world’s countries and people are ready to act to tackle the plastics crisis,” said Muhannad Malas, Director of Law Reform at Ecojustice. “We can no longer afford to allow a few countries backed up by greedy fossil fuel and plastics lobbyists to strong-arm the world into inaction. Canada and other high-ambition countries must get to work immediately to make sure we land a strong deal before summer.”
Background
- The fifth round of negotiations for a global plastics treaty (INC 5) was held over seven days in Busan, Republic of Korea. The meeting was suspended in the wee hours of December 2, the 8th day, without an agreement. The Parties are expected to reconvene to continue negotiations (INC 5.2) within the next six months.
- UN member states and hundreds of civil society observers, Indigenous Rights-holders and oil and petrochemical lobbyists attended the session. Oil-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia, and fossil and petrochemical interests continue to have an outsized influence on the negotiations. More than 220 of the 4,000 attendees were industry lobbyists – outnumbering the delegations from the European Union and the Latin American and Caribbean region respectively.
- More than 100 member states supported a framework to reduce plastic production around the world and 94 signed on to language to eliminate chemicals of concern and problematic plastic products. These key control measures, supported by Indigenous and civil society participants, are needed in order to address plastic pollution at its source and protect Indigenous and frontline communities, human health and the environment.
- Canada signed on to the plastic production reduction framework as well as the proposal to address chemicals and products of concern. Canada also spoke in favour of recognizing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and including a reference to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Treaty text.
- “Upstream” measures are opposed by some oil- and gas-producing countries and the fossil and petrochemical industry. Since the beginning of the process, in 2022, a small number of states have used the UN’s consensus system of decision-making to block discussions and veto effective measures to rein in plastic production and use. Nonetheless, a growing number of countries are now on the record supporting such measures and public opinion around the world favours a reduction in plastic.
