The world has a rare opportunity to solve plastic pollution by negotiating a Global Plastic Treaty. The treaty was introduced in 2022 and goes into its fifth negotiation end of 2024.

But the treaty does not only promise solutions for plastic pollution. An often overlooked effect of the discussed measures is the treaty's key role in addressing climate change.

What is the Global Plastic Treaty?

The Global Plastic Treaty is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address plastic pollution globally. Adopted by 175 nations, the treaty was introduced during the UN Environmental Assembly in March 2022. While this is a significant step forward, the work is far from over.

Since 2022, countries have been negotiating the specific terms of the treaty, and the risk of dilution and compromise remains high. A recent study revealed that during the April 2024 negotiations in Ottawa, Canada, fossil fuel lobbyists outnumbered national delegations, scientists, and Indigenous Peoples, raising concerns about potential industry influence on the treaty's outcome.

This Year's Negotiations

The fifth and last round of negotiations for the treaty are scheduled between 25 November and 1 December 2024 in Busan, South Korea.

The negotiations in Busan will show if the Plastic Treaty can live up to expectations by the Environmental community. Key issues to look out for are:

• Clear timelines on adoption of the agreed-upon measures
• Clear goals tied to reduction of plastic production, and bans on hazardous chemicals, and problematic plastic products
• Measures to enable a just transition, especially technical and financial mechanisms for developing countries
• Clear measures for a circular economy that start with design and promote reuse over recycling and false solutions such as incineration and chemical recycling

Connection Between Plastic Pollution and Climate Change

Plastic pollution and climate change are connected through their shared reliance on fossil fuels. 99% of plastic comes from fossil fuel, and the fossil fuel industry heavily relies on plastics and petrochemicals as its lifeline.  Plastic involves significant greenhouse gas emissions at every stage —from extraction to manufacturing, usage, transport, and disposal.

Additionally, plastic impacts global warming indirectly. They disrupt ecosystems that act as carbon sinks, release methane during their degradation on landfills, and emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that react with the atmosphere.

In 2019, the plastic industry's carbon footprint was 1.8 billion metric tons, more than double the emissions of Canada. The OECD estimates that this carbon footprint will more than double to 4.3 billion metric tons by 2060 if we stay on the current trajectory.

The industry is the number one driver behind global oil demand and will account for half of oil production in 2050. Hence, a new report by Pacific Environment now underscores the urgency to act. The researchers found that the plastic industry is on track to overshoot the global climate targets by more than three times. This is especially true for the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The plastic industry will have to cut production by at least 75% and phase out single-use plastics by 2040 to align with the global temperature targets.

And that’s exactly where the Global Plastic Treaty comes in.

How the Global Plastic Treaty Can Help Address Climate Change

The global plastic treaty presents a pivotal opportunity to mitigate climate change through several key mechanisms:

• Reduction of Plastic Production: The treaty aims to establish binding targets for virgin plastic production and phasing out single-use plastics. Those two actions alone could potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the plastic industry by 71% by 2050. Limiting plastic production would also have important impact on downstream solutions like recycling.
• Promotion of Reuse Systems: Reuse is emerging as one of the key solutions of the treaty. Reuse systems shift the focus from single-use plastics to multi-use products, reducing material waste, emissions, and environmental leakage. Successful reuse systems need global standards, regulatory frameworks, and phase-in targets to realize their economic, environmental, and social benefits. By prioritizing reuse systems, the treaty can set the foundation for a global transition to a more sustainable economy.
• Global Cooperation: By creating a unified framework for all participating nations, the treaty seeks to establish collaborative and coordinated efforts for addressing the plastic pollution crisis.. This includes financing measures to distribute investments between developed and developing nations. This global collaboration can lead to more effective implementation of measures for both plastic pollution and climate change.

One Treaty, Major Impact 

The global plastics treaty represents a rare chance to tackle the two most pressing environmental issues of our century. It tackles the pervasive issue of plastic pollution and contributes to the fight against climate change.

By reducing plastic production with aims to phasing out, providing sustainable guardrails, and fostering international cooperation, the treaty has the potential to set us up for a more sustainable future.

As negotiations in Busan continue by the end of 2024, it is imperative that world leaders recognize and act upon the interconnectedness of these two pressing environmental crises.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, the negotiations in Busan did not lead to an agreement. Opposition from oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia was too strong. We will have to wait for next year's negotiations (location TBC.) to hope for results.

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