Discussions aimed at forging a global pact to mitigate plastic waste ended in disappointment on Monday, as the negotiations in Busan, South Korea, faltered without achieving a consensus. Environmental organizations voiced their indignation after learning that oil-producing nations obstructed a proposed treaty.
“A green light has been given for plastics to keep inflicting harm on our health and exacerbating the climate crisis,” remarked Gerance Mutwol, plastics campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, in an interview with African Business.
While some media reports suggested that the Busan discussions ‘failed’, participating governments mutually agreed to pursue a treaty at an unspecified time next year. However, overcoming the divide between varying nations remains uncertain. The plastic production process is heavily reliant on oil, leading oil-exporting nations—often with major plastic manufacturing industries—to fear that a treaty could adversely impact their economies.
Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Iran led the opposition against a significant provision in the suggested treaty, which called for a legally-binding commitment to reduce overall plastic production. Instead, these nations argued that enhancing recycling initiatives would be enough to tackle the plastic crisis in oceanic environments.
At least 13 African countries—including Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria—aligned with the so-called ‘high ambition’ coalition, advocating for a more stringent treaty featuring binding production reduction targets. With the exception of Rwanda, which co-led the high ambition coalition, numerous African governments remained relatively subdued during the talks, lacking a definitive position.
Describing the unsuccessful negotiations as a “lost opportunity,” Mutwol expressed concern that “Africa imports more plastics than it produces, and our governments’ failure to raise 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 only accounts for 5% of global plastic production and 4% of its consumption. Yet, the continent increasingly grapples with plastic pollution affecting its rivers and coastlines.
This issue is worsened by “waste colonialism,” where plastic waste generated elsewhere is shipped to Africa. In recent years, several African administrations have permitted imports of waste from abroad, a decision often regrettable due to insufficient disposal or recycling systems. For example, Senegal saw a sharp rise in waste imports from the United States in 2019, following China’s ban on incoming waste.
A 2022 OECD report indicates that plastic use in Africa is expected to grow faster than in any other continent, projecting a sixfold increase from 2019 to 2060.
On a brighter note, Mutwol posits that Africa could lead the way in addressing the challenge of plastic waste.
“Africa’s traditional knowledge surrounding refill and reuse systems can be scaled to diminish our excessive dependence on plastics in daily life,” he stated. The continent has already launched world-leading initiatives, such as Rwanda’s plastic bag ban, first established in 2008, which has inspired similar measures in numerous countries worldwide.
In the meantime, efforts to boost plastic recycling are unfolding in various African countries. Michael Bennett, a South African marine consultant associated with the Centre for Blue Governance at the University of Portsmouth, attributed the failure of the Busan negotiations partly to an “overly ambitious timeline,” but anticipates that “South Africa will continue to address plastic pollution at the national level.” He highlights the South African Initiative to End Plastic Pollution in the Environment, launched in 2019, as a key effort. South Africa already recycles over half of certain plastic materials.
Despite progress at the national level, many NGOs are focused on attaining a global treaty. Zaynab Sadan, WWF’s global plastics policy co-lead, shared her hopes with African Business that a treaty would include provisions to phase out and ultimately ban the most harmful plastic products and their associated chemicals. She argues that standardized product designs are also essential to facilitate the reuse and recycling of plastics.
Sadan asserts that governments must “urgently” commit to adopting an ambitious treaty at the next round of talks. “At the resumed session, countries must come prepared and ready to deliver a legally binding text that truly sets us on a path to eradicate plastic pollution. Both people and nature cannot afford any further delays.”
