UN Negotiations: Creating a Global Treaty to Reduce Plastic Pollution Amidst Industry Opposition

Ottawa, Canada, Ontario, Canada Canada
175 nations agreed to make first legally-binding treaty on plastics pollution by end of 2024.
Fossil fuels are primary source of plastic production and oil companies see it as potential market.
Negotiators must decide on scope of treaty including human health and environmental protection, limiting plastic production, restricting certain chemicals used in plastics.
Production of plastic is projected to double or triple by 2050 without action.
Thousands of negotiators and observers from most nations are participating in UN talks to draft a global treaty on plastic pollution.
Two main camps have emerged: Global South nations and public health/environmental campaigners vs plastics producers and major oil producers.
UNEP reports that 2000 garbage trucks full of plastic waste are dumped into oceans, rivers, and lakes every day.
UN Negotiations: Creating a Global Treaty to Reduce Plastic Pollution Amidst Industry Opposition

As the world grapples with the escalating issue of plastic pollution, UN talks are underway in Ottawa, Canada to draft a global treaty aimed at reducing this environmental scourge. Thousands of negotiators and observers from most nations are participating in these negotiations.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2000 garbage trucks full of plastic waste are dumped into oceans, rivers, and lakes every day. The production of plastic is projected to double or triple by 2050 if no action is taken, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions and potentially consuming up to 26% of the remaining global carbon budget.

Negotiators must decide on the scope of this treaty, which could include elements such as human health and environmental protection, limiting plastic production, restricting certain chemicals used in plastics, or a combination thereof. In March 2022, 175 nations agreed to make the first legally-binding treaty on plastics pollution by the end of 2024.

However, major challenges lie ahead. Fossil fuels are the primary source of plastic production, and as pressure to reduce fossil fuel usage increases, oil and gas companies are looking towards plastics as a potential growing market. The largest challenge for negotiations is that major oil-producing countries do not want a treaty that limits their ability to extract and export fossil fuels for plastic production.

Two main camps have emerged in these negotiations: Global South nations and public health/environmental campaigners, who advocate for a gradual phaseout of single-use plastics and an end to the production of harmful forms linked to disruptions in the human body and environment; versus plastics producers and major oil producers.

The UN talks are expected to continue over the coming days as negotiators work towards a comprehensive agreement on reducing plastic pollution.


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Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • Are there any studies that suggest limiting fossil fuel usage for plastic production would not negatively impact economies?
  • Is the production of plastic really projected to double or triple by 2050 without action?

Sources

76%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

What to know about the pivotal UN plastics negotiations

The Hill News Site: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate-seethe-republicans-call-for-israeli-elections/ Saul Elbein Tuesday, 23 April 2024 10:00
  • Unique Points
    • Two main camps: Global South nations and public health/environmental campaigners vs plastics producers and major oil producers
    • Campaigners want a gradual phaseout of single-use plastics and an end to production of harmful forms linked to disruptions in the human body and environment
    • Global South representatives decry ‘waste colonialism’ as rich countries send plastic waste abroad for disposal or recycling
  • Accuracy
    • UN plastics negotiations are taking place in Ottawa, Canada from November 29 to December 10, 2023
    • The goal is to reach an agreement on reducing plastic waste before the final round of talks in Busan, South Korea in December
    • Plastics industry argues insufficient waste collection and recycling is the problem, not production limits which they believe will harm the environment and lower-income communities
    • Previous talks in Nairobi ended without progress due to conflicting goals
    • Three-quarters of people worldwide favor a ban on single-use plastics according to a 28-country study sponsored by antiplastics campaigners
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting and emotional manipulation. The author focuses on the conflicting goals between Global South nations, public health and environmental campaigners, and plastics producers and major oil producers without providing a balanced perspective. The author also uses emotive language to describe the impact of plastics production on human health and the environment, which can manipulate readers' emotions. For example, 'For thousands of common plastics, scientists believe there may be no safe level of exposure.'
    • For thousands of common plastics, scientists believe there may be no safe level of exposure.
    • The camps face a rapidly approaching, if artificial, deadline to bridge their divisions.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article provides a balanced view of the positions held by different parties involved in the negotiations. It does not contain any clear logical fallacies in terms of formal or informal reasoning. The author presents both sides of the argument and quotes sources to support their claims. However, there is an indication of a potential dichotomous depiction when comparing the industry's position with that of public health and environmental campaigners, implying they are at odds with each other. Additionally, there are some inflammatory rhetorical devices used when describing the impact of plastics production on human health and the environment, such as 'the early results are terrifying.'
    • The camps face a rapidly approaching, if artificial, deadline to bridge their divisions.
    • Reaching universal agreement on a way to reduce plastics waste will be an uphill battle.
    • According to a 28-country study sponsored by antiplastics campaigner, production limits are broadly popular: Three-quarters of people worldwide favor a ban on single-use plastics.
  • Bias (80%)
    The author expresses a clear bias towards the position of those advocating for production limits and against the plastics industry. He uses language that depicts the industry as being in opposition to environmental goals and as being responsible for producing harmful chemicals. The author also quotes campaigners decrying 'waste colonialism' and expresses skepticism towards industry involvement in the talks.
    • But on the other side, a coalition of nations including Saudi Arabia, Iran and China joined with Global North trade groups such as the American Chemistry Council in the last round of talks in November to keep any calls for plastics production cuts out of the agreement.
      • Campaigners from the Global South have long decried ‘waste colonialism,’
        • Reaching universal agreement on a way to reduce plastics waste will be an uphill battle.
          • The authors compared the involvement of the petrochemical and plastics industry in the talks with attempts by the tobacco industry to participate in international health control efforts.
            • the plastics industry is in Ottawa in large part to make sure that no such production limits get passed.
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            97%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            World must come together to tackle plastic pollution, says chair of UN talks

            theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government Sandra Laville Tuesday, 23 April 2024 09:34
            • Unique Points
              • UN talks are beginning to agree the first global treaty to reduce plastic waste
              • Luis Vayas Valdivieso, Ecuadorian ambassador to the UK, will chair UN intergovernmental negotiations on a future international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution in Ottawa, Canada
              • Previous negotiations stalled due to proposals to focus on waste management rather than scaling down production of plastic
            • Accuracy
              • The goal is to reach an agreement on reducing plastic waste before the final round of talks in Busan, South Korea in December
              • 98% of single-use plastics are made from fossil fuels and the top seven plastic-producing companies are fossil fuel companies
            • Deception (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Fallacies (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Bias (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            95%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            Global plastic pollution treaty talks hit critical stage in Canada

            The Associated Press News Tuesday, 23 April 2024 04:23
            • Unique Points
              • Thousands of negotiators and observers from most of the world's nations are gathering in Ottawa, Canada to craft a treaty to stop the escalating problem of plastic pollution.
              • Each day, 2000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world's oceans, rivers and lakes according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
              • Negotiators must streamline the existing treaty draft and decide its scope: whether it will focus on human health and the environment, limit plastic production, restrict some chemicals used in plastics or any combination of these elements.
              • In March 2022, 175 nations agreed to make the first legally-binding treaty on plastics pollution by the end of 2024.
              • Plastic production is projected to double or triple by 2050 if nothing changes and would more than double greenhouse gas emissions if it grows conservatively, potentially using up to 26% of the remaining global carbon budget.
              • Most plastic is made from fossil fuels, and as pressure to reduce fossil fuels increases, oil and gas companies are looking more towards the plastics side of their business as a potential growing market.
              • The largest challenge for negotiations is that major oil and gas producing countries do not want a treaty that limits their ability to extract and export fossil fuels to make plastic.
            • Accuracy
              • Each day, 2000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers and lakes according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
              • Plastic production is projected to double or triple by 2050 if nothing changes.
            • Deception (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Fallacies (85%)
              The article does not contain any formal fallacies. However, it does contain some informal fallacies and dichotomous depictions. The author presents a situation as being more extreme than it actually is (dichotomous depiction) when stating that 'each day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world's oceans, rivers and lakes.' This statement implies that all plastic waste ends up in oceans, rivers and lakes which is not true. Additionally, there are instances where the author attempts to appeal to authority (Inger Andersen, UNEP's executive director) without providing any evidence or reasoning beyond the authority's opinion.
              • Each day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers and lakes.
              • Inger Andersen, UNEP’s executive director said: 'People globally are disgusted by what they see. The straw in the turtle’s nose, the whale full of fishing gear. I mean, this is not the world we want to be in.'
              • The largest challenge for the negotiations is that major oil and gas producing countries do not want a treaty that limits their ability to extract and export fossil fuels to make plastic.
            • Bias (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication