Ahead of the upcoming fourth session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee aimed at crafting an international binding agreement on plastic pollution, to be held in Canada, a report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has raised concerns. The report highlighted a trend where companies are ramping up oil and gas production for polymer manufacturing, anticipating potential climate-related measures that could restrict fossil fuel production.
Titled ‘Global Plastic Treaty Negotiations,’ the report underscores that several major players, including India, Russia, the United States, and, in certain cases, China, are resistant to proposals aimed at reducing primary plastic polymer production, curbing chemicals used in polymer manufacturing, or phasing out single-use plastics.
The analysis is based on assessments of submissions made by various countries during the negotiation process. Notably, China leads global plastic production, followed closely by other Asian nations and North America, while the US tops the list of oil producers, followed by Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Canada.
India’s stance, as outlined in the report, appears progressive regarding alternative plastics, promoting the use of recycled materials, and prioritizing product designs that enhance reusability, repairability, and recyclability. However, India emphasizes that all measures will be domestically driven, with due consideration for international standards.
The CSE report also highlights a concerning trend among major state-owned and private oil and gas producers, who are increasing primary plastic output in anticipation of potential climate policies that could reduce fossil fuel demand.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), nearly all plastics are derived from non-renewable hydrocarbons, predominantly crude oil and natural gas. These polymers, constituting plastics, are formed by chemically bonding smaller molecules (monomers).
As reported by businessline, despite often being viewed separately from climate change, the entire lifecycle of plastics significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Processes involved in plastic production, utilization, distribution, and disposal collectively accounted for approximately 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, with plastic production alone responsible for 90% of these emissions, the report highlights.
