Talks to agree on how to tackle plastic waste broke down last December because some oil-producing countries disagreed. Now, a fresh round of 10-day discussions is expected to begin on Tuesday, aiming to find a global solution to plastic pollution for the sake of the planet. Even after the earlier failure, countries have continued efforts to restart the talks, which will now take place in Geneva under the United Nations.
While the nations aiming to propose a full ban on the usage of plastic agree that it would be very hard for them to convince other nations, the deal might be within reach this time around. According to the UN Environment Programme executive director, Inger Andersen, "There's been extensive diplomacy from Busan till now."
The upcoming talks hosted by the UNEP, as Andersen mentions, have been gaining momentum since last year, as countries are willing to cooperate on environmental protection issues. He said, "Most countries 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."
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According to the critics, the plastic waste has reached the highest mountain peaks and deepest ocean trenches and has almost been scattered throughout every part of the human body. Three years ago, member countries agreed to address the issue by the end of 2024, though there has been no consensus built ever since.
Apart from the governments, there are more than 600 non-governmental organisations attending the Geneva talks. Well, 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced globally each year, half of which are for single-use items. While a total of 15 per cent of plastic waste is collected for recycling, only nine per cent is recycled.
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