Global Plastics Treaty

Why in news?

• 175 countries, parties to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), recently signed a mandate which makes it legally binding for the signatories to address the full life of plastics — from production to disposal, to end plastic pollution. The treaty is named as ‘Global Plastics Treaty’.

About Global Plastics Treaty:

• The resolution on first treaty was passed at meeting of UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Nairobi, Kenya.
• Global Plastics Treaty laid out will join the Montreal Protocol and the Paris Climate Agreement as one of the most significant international environmental laws in world history.
• First treaty directly seeks to tackle 9 billion tonnes of plastic produced since plastic age ramped up in 1950s.
• Now, they have started working on how to implement the treaty by 2024.

Is the treaty legally binding?

• Elements of the treaty are legally binding.
• The treaty also acknowledges that lower-income countries will find it difficult to tackle plastic and pollution than high-income ones.
• Thus, there is a need of financing model, in order to help in curbing plastic use and waste.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Recently, UN member states have agreed to start international negotiations on drawing up a global plastics treaty that could set rules for production, use and disposal of plastics. The decision was made at a meeting of:

(a) UN Environment Assembly

(b) International Union for Conservation of Nature

(c) UN General Assembly

(c) United Nations Development Programme

Answer