Nations deadlock in negotiations over proposed solution to global crisis: 'This treaty has to be bigger than all of us'

Plastic pollution is everywhere. It's clogging drains, creeping into farmland, and even ending up in the food we eat. In hopes of doing something about it, leaders from around the world recently met in South Korea to work on a global plastic pollution treaty, but, as reported by the Associated Press, they still can't agree on whether cutting back on plastic production is the right move.

Fiji's Sivendra Michael said: "This treaty has to be bigger than all of us. It's about saving this planet. It's about saving humanity. And so that's why we are here, still having hope, pushing."

What's happening?

Some nations, such as Ghana, say capping production is the only way to solve the crisis. Other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, and India, want to focus on managing plastic waste better rather than committing to cutting down on production. The New York Times reported that Saudi Arabia led the push against caps, noting the country's vested interest in petroleum, which is used to make plastic.

Approaches like chemical recycling and biodegradable materials are offering new ways to manage plastic waste more effectively.

A 2022 McKinsey report found that scaling chemical recycling to handle just 15% of the world's plastic waste could cut 50 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. This would represent a significant step toward combating pollution and addressing rising global temperatures.

Right now, the treaty draft has no clear plan, and the world could see plastic production soar by 70% by 2040 if things don't change. That's a huge problem when we're already making over 400 million tons of plastic every year.

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Why is this concerning?

In Ghana, plastic dumps catch fire, spewing toxic fumes into the air. The production of virgin plastics from fossil fuels emits massive amounts of carbon dioxide, contributing to rising global temperatures and extreme weather events, according to Chemical & Engineering News.

Without hard rules, such as mandatory production caps and enforceable recycling standards, this problem will only get worse, hitting the poorest communities the hardest.

Tiny microplastics are also infiltrating drinking water and food supplies, posing health risks linked to chronic illnesses.

What's being done about plastic pollution?

Countries such as Fiji, Panama, and Rwanda are fighting for a treaty that focuses on solutions. They want big changes, like limits on production and better design for recyclable products.

But countries that are profiting from plastic and other oil-related products are not as incentivized to implement changes — especially Saudi Arabia, which the Times report noted is "especially sensitive" to any transition.

"They clearly have a strategy to prevent global progress on anything that would threaten their capacity to continue extracting fossil fuels," David Azoulay, director of environmental health at the Center for International Environmental Law, told the Times.

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Industries worldwide are taking action, with some committing to cut their reliance on newly produced plastics. Similarly, groups like the World Wildlife Fund are pushing for stronger regulations to address the underlying causes of plastic pollution.

Joshua Baca, vice president of the American Chemistry Council's plastics division, said in response to the treaty: "The potential is enormous."

Small changes at home can contribute to the broader effort to reduce plastic waste. Reusing pasta jars or switching from single-use Swiffer pads to washable rags are easy steps that support the global fight against plastic pollution.

Fighting plastic pollution means rethinking how much plastic we produce and finding better ways to manage waste. Improving recycling, creating reusable products, and eliminating unnecessary plastics are important steps. Over time, global and individual actions can add up to drive meaningful change.