Geneva Plastics Treaty Negotiations
Why it Matters?
The UN is negotiating a global treaty to curb plastic pollution, but divisions persist between the High Ambition Coalition (seeking production cuts) and Like-Minded Countries (favoring waste management). India supports the latter.
What You Should Know?
Over 190 countries have gathered in Geneva for the second part of the fifth session (INC-5) of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to finalize a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty.
Its goal is to end plastic pollution by 2040 by creating a circular economy for plastics.
Covers the entire life cycle of plastics – production, design, use, and disposal.
Negotiating blocs:
High Ambition Coalition (HAC) (~80 countries, including EU) seeks mandatory caps on plastic production.
Like-Minded Countries (LMC), including India, China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, Cuba, oppose production caps and favor waste management measures.
India’s position is to oppose production caps; support waste management, recycling, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
Decisions require near-unanimity; majority voting is not permitted.
U.S. opposes production caps but supports strong waste reduction measures.
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC)
INC was set up by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in 2022 to negotiate an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
Last session was in Busan, South Korea (2024).
Need of global treaty
460 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually.
Only 9% is recycled; the rest leaks into the environment.
By 2060, plastic waste is projected to triple, without intervention.