Addressing Environmental Challenges in a Divided World

Quick Summary

• Event: Two-week UN negotiations in Geneva on a global treaty to curb plastic pollution collapsed on August 14 due to disagreements among nations.
• Key Divisions: Countries were split on whether the treaty should include both recycling measures and targets for reducing plastic production at its source.
• Opposition: oil-producing states resisted production curbs,maintaining reliance on plastics amidst declining demand for fossil fuels like petrol and diesel.
• Consensus Rule Issue: The unanimous agreement requirement created gridlock, reflecting broader challenges in environmental diplomacy like inefficiency and slow progress.
• Proposed alternatives: Experts suggest smaller coalitions of influential nations driving sectoral changes (e.g.,renewable energy or electric vehicle adoption) as opposed to consensus-driven multinational summits.

Image Description: Artwork in Geneva during the summit. Credit: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images.