DailySun
Discussions aimed at forging a global agreement to curb plastic waste concluded in disappointment on Monday, as negotiations in Busan, South Korea, fell apart without achieving consensus. Environmental organizations voiced their anger after learning that oil-producing countries obstructed a proposed treaty.
“A green light has been given for plastics to persist in harming our health and exacerbating the climate crisis,” stated Gerance Mutwol, a plastics campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, in an interview with African Business.
Despite some media reports suggesting that the Busan talks ‘failed’, participating governments have agreed to pursue a treaty at an unspecified time next year. However, the prospect of reconciling differing national interests remains uncertain. The production of plastics is closely tied to oil; consequently, oil-producing nations, which typically possess significant plastic manufacturing industries, fear that a treaty could disrupt their economies.
Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Iran led the opposition against a crucial clause in the proposed treaty that called for a legally-binding agreement to reduce overall plastic production. Instead, these countries argued that improving recycling efforts would be an adequate response to the plastic crisis in the oceans.
At least 13 African nations—including Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria—aligned themselves with the so-called ‘high ambition’ coalition, advocating for a stronger treaty that included binding targets for production reduction. With the exception of Rwanda, which co-led the high ambition coalition, many African governments maintained a relatively low profile during negotiations, failing to assert a clear position.
Characterizing the unsuccessful talks as a “lost opportunity,” Mutwol expressed concern that “Africa imports more plastics than it produces, and our governments’ inability to elevate ambition and secure a treaty is a betrayal to our society and a clean future for generations to come.”
‘Waste colonialism’
Mutwol highlights that Africa contributes only 5% to global plastics production and 4% to consumption. Nevertheless, the continent faces rising challenges from plastic pollution impacting its rivers and coastlines.
This issue is compounded by the phenomenon of “waste colonialism,” where plastic waste produced in other regions is shipped to Africa. Several African governments have permitted waste imports from abroad in recent years, a decision often regrettable due to inadequate disposal or recycling infrastructure. For example, Senegal witnessed a sharp rise in waste imports from the United States in 2019, following China’s ban on incoming waste.
A 2022 OECD report anticipates that plastic consumption in Africa is projected to grow at a faster rate than any other continent, with an expected sixfold increase from 2019 to 2060.
On a more hopeful note, Mutwol believes that Africa has the potential to lead efforts in tackling the plastics waste crisis.
“Africa’s traditional knowledge regarding refill and reuse systems can be scaled to decrease our excessive dependence on plastics in daily life,” he observed. The continent has already launched pioneering initiatives, such as Rwanda’s plastic bag ban, first implemented in 2008, which has subsequently inspired similar legislation in various countries around the world.
Meanwhile, efforts to improve plastic recycling are underway in multiple African nations. Michael Bennett, a South African marine consultant affiliated with the Centre for Blue Governance at the University of Portsmouth, attributed part of the failure of the Busan talks to an “overly ambitious timeline,” but is optimistic that “South Africa will continue to address plastic pollution at the national level.” He highlighted the South African Initiative to End Plastic Pollution in the Environment, established in 2019, as a significant effort. South Africa currently recycles over half of certain plastic materials.
Despite strides made at the national level, many NGOs remain focused on securing a global treaty. Zaynab Sadan, WWF’s global plastics policy co-lead, expressed to African Business her hope that a treaty would incorporate measures to phase out and ultimately ban the most harmful plastic products and associated chemicals. She argues for standardized product designs to facilitate the reuse and recycling of plastics.
Sadan insists that governments must “urgently” commit to adopting an ambitious treaty during the next round of discussions. “At the resumed session, countries must come prepared and ready to provide a legally binding text that genuinely sets us on a path to eliminate plastic pollution. Both people and nature cannot afford any further delays.”
