UN Must Address Global Disparities in Plastic Pollution Treaty
Disposable plastic bottles and other plastic rubbish at the Thilafushi lagoon disposal site. Photo: Mohamed Abdulraheem/©Shutterstock
On March 2, the UN committed to working on a first-of-its-kind treaty to address plastic pollution. The agreement marks one of the world's biggest commitments to restrict plastic waste as the globe faces a plastic pollution crisis. Nations have until 2024 to forge an international, legally binding agreement. The UN’s main challenge will be addressing global disparities across developed and developing countries. A failure to do so would have catastrophic consequences, reinforcing the existing inequalities and contributing further to the carbon footprint and plastic pollution.
Today, the total amount of plastic ever produced now outweighs all land and marine animals combined, with only 9 percent recycled. Each year more than 400 million tonnes of plastic is made, 40 percent of which is single-use. Single-use plastics boomed during COVID-19 as the government rolled back regulations and people increased their consumption of masks, gloves, and takeout packaging. These plastics litter and destroy the land and marine environments worldwide, entering the food chain. Throughout their life cycle, plastics cause harm, releasing toxins and greenhouse gases during production, landfill, and incineration.
The treaty will improve recycling and clean up plastic waste and address the production of plastic. The comprehensive global framework will include global goals, legally binding instruments, and consistent measurements to accelerate and promote initiatives to address plastic pollution. Nations must also consider the risk of plastic pollution to human health and address the entire life cycle of plastics.
Plastic waste piled outside an illegal recycling factory in Jenjarom, Kuala Langat, Malaysia. Photo: Lai Seng Sin/ REUTERS
The UN must grapple with the best way to address global disparities across developing versus developed countries and the Global North versus Global South. Since climate talks first started in the 1990s, officials have debated which countries to blame for climate change– developed or developing. Developing countries argue that developed countries have emitted more greenhouse gases over time and should be responsible for curbing emissions, given they could grow their economies without restraint. On the other hand, developing countries such as China and India are today’s top carbon emitters, along with the United States. Developed countries argue that those countries must do more now to address climate change and build a greener economy.
Across environmental issues, developed countries contaminate and pollute in excess. In contrast, developing countries often face the consequences-- climate change related to CO2 emissions and the dumping of waste, to name a few. The Global North produces more CO2 and plastic waste than the Global South, responsible for 92 percent of excess missions.
For example, Malaysia is one of many developing countries fighting back against the dumping of waste by developed countries. Wealthier countries send ‘recyclable waste’ to Malaysia to reduce domestic landfills and meet recycling quotas for cheap. In reality, much of the waste is not recyclable and ends up in illegal processing centers that harm the environment and dump waste in waterways and landfills.
Ultimately, a seemingly neutral policy will fail to address disparities and reinforce inequalities. The poor and disadvantaged must be given particular importance and consideration when planning and establishing a concrete treaty. The UN will need to address the global disparities across the Global North and South and eliminate the ‘free-rider problem,’ the idea that countries will enjoy the benefits of global efforts to limit plastic pollution regardless of their contributions. A failure to do so would be catastrophic, as seen through empty promises in the Paris Agreement.