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Treaty against plastic pollution: negotiations begin after two days of deadlock

2023-05-31T20:21:46.175Z

Highlights: 175 countries are meeting in Paris until Friday for the second of five negotiating sessions aimed at developing a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. Saudi Arabia and several Gulf countries, producers of fossil fuels, as well as Russia, China, India and Brazil refuse that the future treaty can be approved by a two-thirds majority vote. Until Friday, countries will work behind closed doors in two groups. The discussions will start from a list of options synthesized by the International Negotiating Committee secretariat.


From Monday until Friday, 175 countries are meeting in Paris for the second of five negotiating sessions to be drawn up by the European Union.


The political tug-of-war has ended. Negotiations on a global treaty against plastic pollution finally got to the heart of the matter on Wednesday, with no more time to lose after two days of blockages by several major producing countries on the rules for adopting the text.

175 countries are meeting in Paris until Friday for the second of five negotiating sessions aimed at developing a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. And ambitious enough to solve a rapidly growing plastic crisis, with production expected to triple by 2060.

Blockade of major producer countries

Saudi Arabia and several Gulf countries, producers of fossil fuels, as well as Russia, China, India and Brazil refuse that the future treaty can be approved by a two-thirds majority vote if a consensus is not found at the end of the debates. On the other hand, a majority of countries, fearing a blocking minority, believe that the issue was decided at the previous session in Uruguay.

"The major producing countries are on the defensive, somewhat similar to what we see in the climate negotiations," said Li Shuo of Greenpeace. With the difference that "African countries here are closer to ambitious countries" and "environmental activists", because they "suffer from a large part of plastic pollution, but do not produce much", he added.

Start of discussions

On Wednesday morning, the countries finally agreed to record their disagreement in plenary. "I have no objection, so the organization of our work is adopted," said the Chair of the International Negotiating Committee (INC), Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velasquez, opening the chapter of substantive discussions. The day was then devoted to hearing statements from regional blocs, NGOs and scientists.

At around 18:00, the plenary session was adjourned to begin immediately the technical negotiations in groups. Saudi Arabia tried to raise new objections, but was pulled out from under the Mexican delegate: "All delegates, please, let's stand up and move on to the contact groups!" urged Camila Zepeda, already standing and backpacking, to thunderous applause illustrating the negotiators' impatience to make up for lost time.

" READ ALSO Plastic pollution: Macron calls to "put an end to an unsustainable model of production"

Until Friday, countries will work behind closed doors in two groups. The discussions will start from a list of options synthesized by the Negotiating Committee secretariat.

Source: leparis

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