Lock out rich companies from plastic discussions
By KNA, May 24, 2023More than 170 environmental civil society groups and scientists across the world have raised fears over the possible influence of large industrial players in the coming UN Global Plastics Treaty talks scheduled to take place in Paris from May 29 to June 2 .
In the letter signed by among others UN Messenger of Peace Dr Jane Goodall and addressed to UNEP Director Inger Anderson, the lobbyists want delegates to stop the fossil fuel industry from undermining negotiations in pushing for an effective Global Plastic Treaty.
The Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD) Kenya is a signatory in the three-page letter. Among its key objectives, the Treaty urges nations to commit to a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution by 2024.
However, according to Greenpeace Africa Communications officer Hellen Dena, the fossil fuel industry has been actively lobbying to water down the efforts both directly and through industrial groups such as the Association to End Plastic Waste and American Chemistry Council (ACC).
The lobbyists warn that lack of action to safeguard the initial objectives of the Treaty would jeopardize efforts to reduce plastic waste around the globe whose production is expected to triple by 2050.
“Plastic production has flooded our planet, harming peoples’ health, accelerating social injustice, destroying biodiversity and fueling the climate crisis. Stockholm institute has warned that the plastic population has already exceeded safe planetary boundaries threatening the stability of the earth’s system and there are fears of plastic production tripling by 2050,” reads the letter.
The campaigners also want the adoption of a strong conflict of interest policy that will ensure fossil fuel and petrochemical companies are not allowed to undermine the global response to plastic pollution.
To achieve this, the lobbyists want discussions in the upcoming convention to bar individuals and multinationals with private economic interest from advocating for policies that may override human and environmental needs.
Stop undue influence
“The Global Plastics Treaty offers an historic opportunity to end plastic pollution for all. Its success depends on Member States being able to negotiate in good faith, prioritizing input from those most affected. To achieve these shared goals, UNEP must implement the measures to prevent undue influence of the fossil fuel and petrochemical companies, which have a vested interest in perpetuating the plastic crisis, “further states the letter.
Louise Edge, Global Plastics Campaigner for Greenpeace UK has termed the coming meeting an ideal forum to help address the environmental threat posed by plastic pollution across the world.
He says the failure or success of the Paris conference will however largely depend on how government leaders present will be forthright in calling for a phased down production of plastics.
“The succession of Global Plastics Treaty depends on whether governments are bold enough to ensure that the treaty delivers what the science says is needed: a cap and a phase down of plastic production,” Edge says.