Plastics Treaty Failure A Missed Opportunity For Africa

Talks aimed at reaching a global agreement to reduce plastic waste ended in disappointment on Monday, as negotiations in Busan, South Korea, broke down without a deal. Environmental groups expressed anger after oil-producing nations blocked a proposed treaty.

Gerance Mutwol, a plastics campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, criticized the outcome, stating that the failure to secure a deal allows plastics to continue harming both public health and the environment, worsening the climate crisis.

While some media outlets suggested the talks had completely collapsed, in reality, governments agreed to continue working toward a treaty, with a new meeting scheduled for next year. However, it remains unclear how the disagreements between countries will be resolved. Since plastics are made from oil, many oil-producing nations, which also have significant plastic manufacturing industries, worry that a treaty could hurt their economies.

Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Iran led the opposition to a key clause in the proposed treaty, which would have introduced legally-binding measures to reduce overall plastic production. These countries argued that focusing on improving recycling would be a more effective way to address the plastic pollution crisis in the oceans.

At least 13 African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, joined the "high ambition group," which called for a more aggressive treaty, including legally-binding targets to cut plastic production. However, with the exception of Rwanda, which co-chaired the high ambition group, most African governments kept a low profile during the negotiations, with many not taking a clear stance on the issue.