Green activists want a legally binding global plastic treaty

Environmentalists urged a strong participation of Bangladesh delegation in negotiating the global plastic treaty keeping legally binding condition alive.

They made the call at a webinar organised by the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO) in collaboration with The International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) on Tuesday.

“The priority document for United Nations is treaty, followed by convention and protocol. Some quarters may want to push the negotiation down to convention and protocol for their business interest. The government delegation must stress on a treaty, not convention or protocol. Civil society has a responsibility to advice delegation where needed,” said Professor Ainun Nishat, a leading climate change expert, at the webinar.

“Bangladesh produces and exports virgin plastic products. There is a trans-boundary plastic movement. So, there is a challenge inside the country, too. What is needed is to talk on every issue during the negotiation process to get a legally binding treaty,” said Nishat, former vice-chancellor of BRAC University.

“Good wish is needed than the capacity. If there is a political commitment, we will be able to enforce global treaty as well as domestic laws,” he said.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting will be held in Paris, France between May 29 and June 2. This is the second session of negotiation to achieve a legally binding global treaty by 2025.

“Among 194 United Nations’ member states, 72 states submitted their views in favour of a treaty. Some other countries will be included this year,” said Shahriar Hossain, secretary general of Environmental and Social Development Organisation.

“Of them, 74 per cent stated that the Plastic Treaty should protect human health while 64 per cent submissions called for some form of control measure on chemicals in plastics. The process must start by considering the life cycle of plastic,” he added.

An ESDO press release said, “Legally binding reduction targets should be agreed. In addition, plastic production reduction strategies should also prioritise reduction and elimination of plastics with toxic chemicals.”

ESDO executive Director Siddika Sultana and the officials from the Department of Environment and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also spoke at the webinar.