Regional experts predict challenges in bringing Asia together for a global plastic treatment agreement
As the world grapples with the escalating issue of plastic pollution, Asia finds itself at the centre of the debate. The region, home to some of the world's biggest plastic producers and most affected by plastic waste, is struggling to reach a consensus on a legally binding treaty to curb global plastics pollution.
China, responsible for over 30% of global plastic production, has shown a cautious openness in the treaty negotiations. The country seeks clear definitions on which polymers should be regulated, emphasizing that problematic uses should be targeted rather than broad bans. China has signaled flexibility and a willingness to engage bilaterally and multilaterally to craft a "pragmatic and balanced" treaty, though it has not aligned fully with high-ambition groups demanding strict production caps.
Southeast Asian countries, on the other hand, face acute plastic pollution impacts and emphasize urgent human health and environmental protection needs. Civil society groups urge ASEAN governments for stronger regional and global action, highlighting that delays in global consensus worsen pollution and health risks. These countries prioritize reductions in plastic production, chemicals, and hazardous polymers over merely improving waste management or recycling.
Some oil-producing countries in the region, and globally, oppose any form of plastic production limits outright, favoring circular economy approaches often promoted by industry groups rather than strict production cuts.
The challenge for Asian countries to agree on a legally binding treaty largely stems from their diverse economic priorities, differing views on the treaty's scope, and tensions between environmental goals and development needs. Key challenges include disagreements over whether to regulate the entire plastics lifecycle, especially upstream plastic production and chemical use, and concerns about the treaty's impact on economic growth and industries critical to some countries.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced an extended session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) meeting due to failed agreement on the treaty rules in December. The next round of talks will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 5 to 14 August.
The INC-5.2 meeting encompasses negotiators from Asia Pacific, which includes diverse groups ranging from Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, to Southeast Asia nations including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In its resolution at the last session, China sought clarity on which polymers fall under regulation.
The High Ambition Coalition, led by the European Union, African and Caribbean nations, and some Pacific and Latin American countries, is pushing for mandatory, global caps on plastic production, strict bans on hazardous chemicals in plastics, and phased reductions that address the entire plastic life cycle. The Philippines and Thailand are pushing for legally binding limits on all stages of plastics production and stronger action on the chemicals used in plastics.
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, threatening oceans, wildlife, human health, and economies worldwide. Plastics account for 85% of marine waste and microplastics are now found in food and the human body. The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) agreed to begin negotiations for an international treaty focused on tackling the full lifecycle of plastic pollution in March 2022.
As the treaty negotiations progress, it is clear that they reflect complex balancing acts between economic development, environmental protection, and international cooperation. Countries adopting positions along a spectrum from cautious engagement with production regulations (China), to pressing urgent health and environmental measures (Southeast Asian states), to resistance against upstream controls (some oil-producing nations) will shape the future of plastic production and waste management in Asia and beyond. China's position in the global plastics treaty negotiations has been cautious, but there are signs that they are willing to engage and discuss a workable treaty. The INC was established to draft the treaty with the aim of concluding negotiations by the end of 2024, although talks have now extended into 2025 due to ongoing disagreements.
- Amidst the global discussions on a legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution, China has expressed a cautious openness, focusing on defining which polymers should be regulated and prioritizing problematic uses over broad bans.
- In contrast, Southeast Asian countries, significantly impacted by plastic pollution, advocate for immediate action in health-and-wellness and environmental protection, pushing for reductions in plastic production, chemicals, and hazardous polymers.
- Meanwhile, some oil-producing countries oppose any limits on plastic production, favoring circular economy approaches instead, highlighting the complex balancing acts between economic development, environmental protection, and international cooperation that the global plastics treaty negotiations currently represent.
