Additional Global Plastics Treaty Proposals

At the UN Environment Assembly that happened from 28^th February to 2^nd March, along with Japan, India has placed another proposal on the table which states an alternative resolution on single use plastics. It focuses on a voluntary framework rather than a mandate for the creation of a legally binding global agreement.

The resolution, introduced on October 20 by Rwanda and Peru and co-sponsored by 53 countries including Norway, Chile, Pakistan, and the EU, is considered the most ambitious and calls for a full life cycle approach to plastics, addressing plastic production as well as harmful additives and waste management. It proposes an open mandate for a negotiating committee, which means that as discussions progress, negotiators could work on a wide range of issues related to plastic pollution, such as "product design and use, including compounds, additives, and harmful substances, as well as intentionally added microplastics."

A second resolution, submitted by Japan on December 6 and supported by Antigua and Barbuda, Cambodia, Palau, and Sri Lanka, is more limited in scope. The resolution focuses on plastic waste management (rather than production) and proposes a closed mandate, which means that negotiators could only address this aspect of plastic pollution when negotiating an agreement. Meanwhile, India jumped into the fray at the last minute with an alternative resolution on single-use plastics, which was published on January 31. Unlike the other proposals, India's document emphasises a voluntary framework rather than a mandate to create a legally binding global agreement. Several UN member states have requested that the two original proposals be combined prior to the main meeting. In January, more than 70 consumer brands, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever, and Ikea, issued a joint statement outlining plans to reduce plastic production and use.