A UN treaty based on legally-binding global rules and comprehensive circular economy measures is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tackle the root causes of plastic pollution.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is calling for a treaty that is based on:
Legally binding global rules
These are crucial to stimulate the investment and innovation essential to driving global change. A strong treaty can engage the whole market in solutions. Even the largest voluntary commitments top out around twenty percent of the market.
Comprehensive circular economy measures, with a focus on upstream action
We need to focus our energy on stopping plastic from becoming waste in the first place. To do that, we must restrict or phase out problematic and avoidable plastic products, significantly increase reusereuseThe repeated use of a product or component for its intended purpose without significant modification. models, and fundamentally redesign the plastics we do still need.
Prioritising plastic packaging
A treaty should initially focus on the types of plastic most likely to end up in the environment, including packaging, which creates around 40% of total plastic waste.
Fairness
To be effectively implemented, global positive action must be based on fairness. Eliminating plastic pollution is much more challenging in countries with economies in transition. Strong provisions around just transition, incorporating principles of justice, equity and inclusivity, as well as around means of implementation, will ensure there is a formalised support mechanism to provide assistance where it is most needed.
A global crisis with a global solution
The current system for making and managing plastics is not working. And so the system must change. A circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. that eliminates waste and pollution, circulates products and materials, and regenerates nature, will benefit people, business and the natural world.
Governments must find a way to unite in ambition to get the job done. An ambitious treaty will deliver real economic and environmental impact, but hard political work is required to reach agreement.
The negotiation timeline for a UN treaty to end plastic pollution
In March 2022, at the fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly, a historic resolution was adopted to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
Formal negotiations for the instrument, also referred to as a UN treaty to end plastic pollution, began in November 2022 with the convening of an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC).
The ambition is to complete the negotiations for a UN treaty in November/December 2024 at INC-5.
INC-5 is a chance to build a strong foundation for global policy to tackle plastic pollution. Governments must agree to a set of binding legal obligations where there is already the most convergence and further commit to cover the remaining areas to strengthen treaty measures over time.
Ellen MacArthur and Christiana Figueres, the former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, have co-authored an op-ed to urge governments to unite in ambition to seize this opportunity and change the global plastics system.
Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty
The Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty is convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WWF, in collaboration with 200+ aligned businesses, financial institutions and supported by strategic NGO partners.
The Coalition's shared vision, endorsed by all members, sees the treaty as the key policy mechanism to accelerate progress in three critical areas:
the reduction of plastic production and use through a circular economy approach,
increased circulation of all necessary plastics,
and the prevention and remediation of hard-to-abate micro- and macro-plastic leakage into the environment.
Aligned with this vision, the Policy Working Group has developed, in consultation with experts and members of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, five policy briefings to inform and support the ongoing discussions on the technical aspects of the negotiations. (Please note that these documents will be updated as the treaty negotiations evolve, and as new insights and resources become available.)
Other useful resources include this video featuring CEOs and regional CEOs of Coalition members Borealis, Danone, Henkel, Nestlé, Okeanos, PepsiCo, The Coca Cola Company, Ternova, TOMRA, and Unilever - about why they are calling for a legally binding treaty, and how the Business Coalition plans to achieve its vision for a circular economy for plastics.
