Food & Climate
The United Nations global plastics treaty negotiations concluded last week in Geneva talks involving 183 countries ended without legal agreement. Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever expressed disappointment over failed negotiations.
Food industry hoped treaty would limit virgin plastic and boost recycling Fragmented regulations increase business costs and hinder sustainable investment Talks will resume, with stakeholders still committed to global plastics action, according to a report that seen by “Food & Climate” platform.
The final draft of global plastics treaty text proposed by the INC Chair was a major disappointment and, if accepted by the parties, would have been a loss for people and planet.
It focused on end-of-life waste-management and was filled with voluntary measures that parties would be able to pick and choose as they see fit.
It would also let plastic producers and polluters off the hook for cleaning up the mess they are making and the harms they are causing to our health and the environment.
Unfortunately, low ambition countries once again blocked progress in including such strong and binding standards in the treaty.
They instead pushed for resource recovery/recycling as the primary, and in some cases, only solution for addressing the plastic pollution crises rather than viewing it as a last resort — despite the evidence that only 9% of plastic is recyclable. They also pushed false solutions and unproven technologies (e.g. chemical recycling) instead of addressing the source of the problem — plastic production, according to “ecojustice“.
Adoption the global plastics treaty useful for food industry
Food powerhouses Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever are among those left reeling after negotiations failed to finalise a global treaty on plastic pollution.
The global plastics treaty had been years in the making, concluding with 10 days of negotiations described as “hard fought”.
But ultimately, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the 1,400 member delegates from 183 countries were unable to agree on a legally binding text to tackle plastic pollution.
It’s not the result the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) was hoping for. “Failing to reach the goal we set ourselves may bring sadness, even frustration,” says INC chair ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso.
Food giants dismayed at plastics treaty outcome some big-name food manufacturers, too, are disheartened.
A global treaty on plastic pollution would have challenged the food industry to rethink plastic packaging, likely by limiting virgin plastic use and boosting packaging recyclability.
Now, the absence of harmonised regulations across the full lifecycle of plastics means there’s still no level playing field. “Harmonised regulations are essential to reduce business complexity and cost, whilst also increasing confidence to invest in solutions,” says Unilever’s Rebecca Marmot, chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer.
Nestlé agrees, with global public affairs lead for packaging and sustainability, Jodie Roussell, stressing that voluntary efforts are not enough. The current fragmented regulatory landscape results in increased costs and complexity for business, she says.
Negotiations failed, but will be resumed
Although the global plastics treaty negotiations failed, the INC has pledged to resume negotiations at an unspecified date in the future.
The INC’s Valdivieso says the outcome should not lead to discouragement. “On the contrary, it should spur us to regain our energy, renew our commitments, and unite our aspirations.
” Food makers also see reason for optimism. For Unilever, alignment between different stakeholders – from governments to business and civil society groups – calling for a plastics treaty is encouraging.
“We will continue our efforts to tackle plastic pollution and stand ready to support governments to deliver globally coordinated regulations,” says Unilever’s Marmot.
“As this session concludes, we leave with an understanding of the challenges ahead and a renewed and shared commitment to address them,” says INC Secretariat executive secretary Jyoti Mathur-Filipp. “Progress must now be our obligation”, according to “Food Navigator“.