The Future Hinges on a Global Plastics Treaty
By Dr. Marcus Eriksen
The first time I visited the Great Pacific Garbage Patch two decades ago, I realized the depth of the plastic pollution issue. I didn’t see a Texas-sized island of trash that frequently makes headlines; in fact, the water looked deceptively blue and clear. But upon pulling up our manta trawl, we found thousands of microplastics.
After nearly 20 expeditions exploring all oceans, our research today estimates 170 trillion microplastic particles in the global ocean, with an exponential increase projected over the next two decades. The reality – a plastic smog that permeates our ocean, air, and bodies – can’t be cleaned up and requires urgent solutions that address the problem at the source. With the Global Plastics Treaty on the horizon, we have a glimmer of hope.
Since the 1970s, microplastic pollution was largely kept at bay thanks to legally binding agreements, including The London Convention, MARPOL, UNCLOS, and MARPOL Annex V. These international agreements were enforceable and held countries accountable. But at the turn of the 21st century, we witnessed a global rise in plastic production coupled with new international agreements left to voluntary participation. The rapid rise of plastic pollution, driven by global population growth and a rising middle class, was exacerbated by these weak international agreements. The difference between legally binding and voluntary can be the difference between success and failure.
We are at a turning point in history, with the fifth and final negotiating session for the UN Global Plastics Treaty starting today in Busan, Korea. Although 175 nations have agreed that we must take action, how we address the plastics crisis is up for debate.
A small, minority coalition of powerful oil-producing countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, and China, advocate for a voluntary treaty with consensus voting, no production caps, an emphasis on waste management and recycling, and no chemical disclosures. Known as the Like-Minded Countries, they are supported by a swarm of petrochemical lobbyists that far outnumbered the number of nations present at the last negotiating session.
On the other hand, the High Ambition Coalition represents 66 nations that favor a legally binding agreement with majority voting, production caps, design standards, and transparency in production and waste management. Our research proves that this is the necessary path forward to reduce the growing harm from plastics, and The Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty, with over 450 scientists as members, is aligned with these goals.
However, one country hasn’t officially joined other member states in the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution by 2040 – the United States. The United States recently called to develop a “strong global agreement” that can be “commensurate to the scale and breadth of the plastics problem,” and now we need our leaders to officially join other nations in advancing a strong, legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution.
As a marine scientist, veteran, and father, I urge our country to take decisive action to secure a healthy future for our shared planet. With the final negotiating session on the horizon, we are calling on the U.S. Administration to show leadership and join the High Ambition Coalition. We know that trillions of microplastic fragments are swirling in our oceans, throughout the biosphere, and in our bodies, and we have an opportunity to turn this trend around.
