Environment, Global affairs 2 December 2024

Failure to agree on landmark treaty

The world desperately needs policies to end plastic pollution, but unfortunately, we have seen an historic opportunity to address this critical problem completely wasted.

Over two years after the adoption of a resolution to end plastic pollution and after a fifth round of talks during a week of intense negotiations, involving nearly 200 countries, no agreement was reached in Busan, South Korea, on how to deliver a landmark international Global Plastics Treaty.  

High hopes gave way to disappointment with the failure to resolve some deep divisions between a group of nearly 100 “high ambition” countries (HAC) calling for plastic to be phased out, and oil-producing nations. This comes at a time when international policies and the commitment of countries to address this urgent problem are crucial.

However, there was some progress. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) Chair’s latest non-paper at INC5, was broadly supported by most countries as the basis for the next round of negotiations (INC 5.2), likely to take place in Nairobi in early 2025. And we were gratified to see the non-paper text consistently acknowledge the ambition to cleanup legacy plastic pollution.

Monty Simus, our Global Director of Public Affairs, Policy, and Blue Finance, speaking at INC5 in Busan Credits: UN Environment Programme

A CRITICAL JUNCTURE

The Ocean Cleanup has been tackling the Great Pacific Garbage Patch at an impressive rate but as this and our rivers work in nations such as Indonesia, Jamaica, and Guatemala have shown, cleanup isn’t the entirety of our task. Preventing further leakage into our rivers and oceans is paramount and, for this, we require the robust policies, partnerships, and funding a global treaty will deliver. In the meantime, pollution of the natural environment will continue, heavily impacting food systems, health and economy as well as severely disrupting lives and livelihoods.

We stand at a critical juncture and must recognize our seas as a collective common good that necessitate improved management. We urge countries to recognize there is no time to waste to address the growing plastic pollution crisis. Let the next negotiation session be final and ambitious with a text that includes the cleanup of legacy plastic pollution, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Onward to INC5.

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A graduate of Yale University and holder of a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University, Monty Simus spent several decades at the nexus of impact investing, catalytic philanthropy, and innovative social finance, building and scaling high-growth, purpose-driven, commercial and philanthropic initiatives that served millions in the Global South. Internationally recognized, he has contributed a range of papers on environmental issues and joined The Ocean Cleanup in 2024 to lead the Global Public Affairs and Blue Finance team’s work with governments and international organizations to rid our rivers and oceans of plastic pollution.