By Ebi Kesiena
The week-long summit addressing global plastic pollution concluded on Sunday at the United Nations Environment headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, drawing over 2,000 delegates.
The primary focus of the talks was the formulation of a treaty to address the escalating issue of plastic pollution. In 2022, 175 countries committed to finalizing a binding agreement to combat plastic pollution by 2024.
These Nairobi meetings marked the third of five sessions scheduled to conclude by the following year, paving the way for the treaty’s adoption in 2025. However, as the discussions concluded on Sunday, delegates remained divided on the substance of the treaty.
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, the executive secretary of the treaty negotiating committee, emphasized the urgent need for action, stating, “Nature is suffocating, gasping for breath. All ecosystems are under threat from plastic pollution. We hold in our hands the power to correct this destructive course.”
Given the pervasive nature of plastic pollution, from oceans to mountaintops, and with production set to triple by 2060, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) argued for a shift in focus from recycling to plastic reduction. NGOs proposed a 75% reduction in production by 2040.
However, oil-producing countries and plastic industry lobbies also represented at the summit, advocated for recycling and improved waste management.
Also, Inger Andersen, the executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), highlighted the consensus among nations to develop a comprehensive treaty addressing the entire life cycle of plastics from production at their source to design, use, and final disposal.
“We cannot recycle our way out of this mess.” She said.
Kenya, aligning with 60 “high ambition” nations, called for binding rules to reduce the use and production of plastic. President William Ruto urged negotiators to recognize the proximity of the 2024 deadline and emphasized the urgent need for progress in discussions.
Following the Nairobi summit, negotiations are set to continue in April 2024 in Canada, concluding in South Korea at the end of the same year.
These discussions come just before the COP 28 climate conference in the United Arab Emirates, which aims to address greenhouse gas emissions and support developing countries in coping with the consequences of climate change.
