The meeting talks about the necessity of recycling and reducing plastic production. The aim is to put the agreement into effect at the end of next year.
Negotiations have begun in Paris to curb the huge environmental problem caused by plastic waste.
55 countries demand a strict agreement from the countries of the world to reduce plastic waste. The Paris meeting is being held under the leadership of the UN Environment Programme. More than 2,000 representatives from almost 200 countries will participate in the meeting.
Two different principles are on display at the meeting. There are countries that believe that plastic waste must be curbed by reducing plastic production. On the other hand, there is, for example, the position of the petrochemical industry, according to which recycling is the solution to the problem.
In the opinion of many countries, the agreement should aim to keep existing plastic in recycling as long as possible.
During the meeting, the UN environmental program published the goal that plastic waste should be reduced by 80 percent by 2040.
– The current promises will only reduce plastic waste by eight percent by 2024, said the director of the environmental program Inger Andersen.
Environmental organizations are also critical of the UN
According to Andersen, the problem can be solved with a comprehensive change approach.
– That’s the only way we can succeed. We can’t get out of this mess with recycling alone, says Andersen.
Some environmental organizations have criticized the UN for focusing too much on waste management and listening to industry positions.
– Plastic waste does not only affect whales and dolphins. It’s about people’s health, social justice and human rights, says the representative of the Tara Ocean Foundation, an organization familiar with the oceans Henri Bourgeois.
The negotiators of the agreement must decide, among other things, whether some plastics should be banned completely.
According to the UN, more than 430 million tons of plastic are produced annually in the world. Two thirds of it are short-lived products that quickly end up as waste, e.g. in the seas and thus also in the human body, the UN environmental program estimated in its report in April.
The amount of plastic waste threatens to almost triple by 2060, the organization for economic cooperation and development OECD has estimated.
The plastic waste agreement was discussed for the first time half a year ago at an international meeting in Uruguay, and three more meetings will be held before the end of next year. According to experts, the time is still short to reach such a significant agreement.
Sources: Reuters, AP