Countries around the world are about to enter a new round of talks on the first-ever global treaty to curb plastic pollution, with officials preparing for tough negotiations over whether to limit plastic production or focus solely on waste management.
According to the schedule, the “Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on the Development of an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, Including the Marine Environment” (INC-3) will be held from November 13 to 19, 2023 held at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Program in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
Officials involved in the negotiations said that representatives from various countries will list possible policies and actions to be considered based on a "zero draft" text introduced last year, and discuss which of them should be included in what will eventually become legally binding by the end of 2024. Treaty, debate.
"We are at a critical moment in this process," said Andres Del Castillo, senior lawyer and observer of the negotiations at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
According to the United Nations Environment Program, about 400 million tons of plastic waste are currently generated globally every year, of which less than 10% is recycled. This has resulted in landfills being unable to cope and the marine environment being damaged. The amount of plastic waste generated is also expected to surge further over the next decade as oil companies, which often also produce plastics, look for new revenue streams during the energy transition.
Currently, about 98% of single-use plastics (such as bottles or packaging) come from fossil fuels, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
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