A mixed bag of plastics

Apr 30, 2024

THE BIG IDEA

Pakistani laborers sort through plastic.

Time will tell whether global plastics negotiators can seal an agreement by the end of the year. | Pervez Masih/AP

THAT’S A WRAP — Plastics treaty talks have wrapped up in Ottawa, Canada, leaving global negotiators just months to finalize an agreement to significantly cut plastic pollution ahead of their year-end deadline.

Countries came into the fourth of five planned rounds of negotiations knowing they had to make significant progress to have a realistic shot at getting a deal in time.

Mixed reviews and reactions are streaming in about the level of success achieved in Ottawa. There’s some optimism around an agreed-upon agenda for work to be done ahead of the final round of talks, so that (in theory) some progress can be made before negotiators reconvene in South Korea.

But countries still need to resolve broader disagreements around plastic production limits and financing — and what should be globally binding versus left to each country’s discretion.

Here are our top-line takeaways from the talks:

1. The thorniest issues are largely still unresolved

There’ll be a lot of ground to cover at the final round of talks in November. From whether to implement production and consumption reduction targets to how to finance a legally binding instrument, countries are still far apart on the big questions.

Undeterred, representatives from 29 nations on Monday published “Bridge to Busan: Declaration on Primary Plastic Polymers” — a document calling for an agreement on a “global objective regarding the sustainable production of primary plastic polymers.” If this round of talks is anything to go by — given the strong pushback from oil-rich and plastic-producing countries — that won’t be an easy task.

From a U.S. perspective, many of the same frustrations about Washington’s approach to the treaty remain after the fourth round of talks as outlined in a new letter from environmental justice activists.

A congressional delegation comprised of five Democrats journeyed to Ottawa at the start of the talks to nudge the U.S. to take on a more ambitious posture. We sat down with Rep. Jared Huffman of California to discuss why he’s breaking with the Biden administration on this issue. You can listen to the podcast here.

2. Countries commit to do more talking

Negotiators have agreed to start working on things like product design and chemicals of concern before the final round of talks. It might seem incremental, but it’s a step seen as crucial to landing an agreement.

3. Negotiations didn’t stall over major procedural stumbles

In the absence of procedural issues that delayed talks in earlier rounds in Paris and Nairobi, negotiators in Ottawa were able to move into “contact groups,” or topic-specific sessions, on the first day.

That’s not to say tensions didn’t flare: scientists in Ottawa complained of intimidation and harassment by industry representatives.

But: Negotiators have now punted the decision on how to vote on an agreement to the final stages.

Despite the growing momentum, observer groups like the Center for International Environmental Law have expressed concern over the lack of progress on the text itself.

The positioning of the United Arab Emirates is generating particular interest. The UAE technically is a part of the High Ambition Coalition and is still listed on the group’s website as a member despite having not signed onto its past three joint ministerial statements. Some delegates and observers have questioned whether the UAE is playing both sides and aligns on some issues with the informal “like-minded group” featuring China, Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

A UAE negotiator didn’t respond to requests for comment.

4. Momentum for EPR

Conceptually, extended producer responsibility gained traction in Ottawa, though details remain elusive. It’s not necessarily surprising that countries would start to coalesce around EPR, which requires producers to help pay for recycling systems, given that programs are already active in parts of Europe, Canada, and South America, and are under development in some U.S. states.

But it’s been industry’s general support for the framework that has helped propel EPR forward as an item of possible consensus. Dow Chair and CEO Jim Fitterling said in Ottawa that his company is behind EPR and wants to improve the design of its products. Stewart Harris, senior director of global plastic policy at the American Chemistry Council, said “there’s clearly convergence” around an agreement that promotes EPR at the national level.

AROUND THE NATION

BUDGET CRUNCH — Nearly three dozen companies sent a letter last night to California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders urging them to prioritize full funding for first-in-the-nation climate disclosure laws enacted last year.

The letter, organized by sustainability nonprofit Ceres, comes as state lawmakers face a May 14 deadline for budget revisions. Newsom's January budget proposal didn’t provide funding for the California Air Resources Board to implement the disclosure laws, which go beyond federal rules by requiring all large companies operating in the state to disclose their full carbon footprint and climate-related financial risks.

CARB is facing a Jan. 1 deadline to install rules before companies begin reporting in 2026.

Steven Rothstein, managing director of Ceres’ Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets, said he was in Sacramento meeting with Newsom officials and lawmakers recently in an attempt to solidify implementation funding and he’s “hopeful” that will happen — and that it “of course” helps to have bill sponsor Sen. Scott Wiener now serving as Senate budget chair. Ceres was a primary backer of the laws as they faced intense lobbying and negotiations in the Legislature last year.

Even if funding comes through amid a historic budget deficit in the state, Rothstein said it will be “hard work” for CARB to meet the Jan. 1 deadline.

But the laws are also facing two other significant challenges. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, California Chamber of Commerce and other business groups that sued to overturn the laws need to respond by Wednesday to the state’s motion to dismiss the case.

And then there is the question of “cleanup” legislation, which Newsom and CalChamber have both called for with few details. The companies flicked at that possibility in their letter, writing that any major changes “would concern us” and that implementation delays would “introduce regulatory uncertainty that could complicate our planning.”

“Negotiations are continuing on the issue and it remains a top priority for CalChamber and the business community,” Denise Davis, a spokesperson for CalChamber, said in a statement.

AROUND THE WORLD

CLOSING THE COAL ERA — G7 countries have agreed to phase out coal power over the next decade, Federica di Sario reports.

Energy and climate ministers from the U.S., Italy, France, Germany, the U.K., Canada and Japan are working to iron out the details of their fossil fuel transition during meetings this week.

Coal has long been the primary target of emissions reductions from the electricity sector. While it’s been in steady decline, the U.S. and Japan had resisted setting a firm end date on coal.

But with U.S. opposition weakening, a lane opened up to secure such a commitment.

YOU TELL US

GAME ON — Welcome to the Long Game, where we tell you about the latest on efforts to shape our future. Join us every Tuesday as we keep you in the loop on the world of sustainability.

Team Sustainability is editor Greg Mott and reporters Jordan Wolman and Allison Prang. Reach us all at gmott@politico.com, jwolman@politico.com and aprang@politico.com.

WHAT WE'RE CLICKING

— Congressional Democrats have released documents that they say prove the oil industry has misled the public about its role in causing and addressing climate change. The Washington Post has that story.

— The California State Teachers’ Retirement System has delayed the release of a report on its carbon footprint after running into trouble trying to calculate it, according to the Financial Times.

— The reopening of a Michigan nuclear power plant with financial support from the federal government could reflect the start of a trend in pursuit of clean energy, Bloomberg reports.

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