Holy Angel University

School of Business and Accountancy

Accountancy Department

Economic Development
Summer term

News Clipping

Submitted by:
Samia, Kyla Alyssa D.

A-221

Submitted to:
Dr. Maria Lina T. Ramoneda

June 05, 2023

News Clippings

First draft of plastics treaty to be done by year's end: UN

BY AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Jun 3, 2023 08:11 AM

PARIS, France - The first draft of a highly anticipated international treaty to combat
plastic pollution should be finished by the end of November, 175 nations gathered in
Paris decided Monday after five days of grueling talks. The assembly's negotiating
committee called for the preparation of "a zero-draft text" of a "legally binding
instrument" ahead of a third round of talks in Nairobi, with the aim of finalizing the
treaty in 2024.

The decision emerged from an eleventh-hour meeting led by France and Brazil and
was adopted by the full plenary at UNESCO's Paris headquarters. "Are there are no
more interventions on this point?" asked Peru's Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velasquez,
chair of the forum's Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. "It is so decided," he
continued, as he brought down the gavel. The breakthrough came after a lot of "knit-
picking" and "delaying tactics" by some countries, said France's minister for ecological
transition, Christophe Bechu.

Frustrations bubbled up during the first two days of the talks, which were devoted
entirely to a debate over procedural rules, as large plastics producer nations --
including fossil fuel supplier Saudi Arabia, as well as China and India -- resisted the
idea the deal could be decided by a vote rather than by consensus. Concern over
plastics has surged as fragmented microplastics have been found on the world's
highest mountains, in the deepest oceans, in the stomachs of sea birds and in human
blood and placentas. Plastic also contributes to global warming, accounting for 3.4
percent of global emissions in 2019, according to the according to the Organisation
for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).On current trends, annual
production of fossil-fuel-based plastics will nearly triple by 2060 to 1.2 billion tonnes,
while waste will exceed one billion tonnes.

With less than 10 percent recycled and more than a fifth dumped or burned illegally,
environmental groups are pushing for the treaty to go beyond recycling or pollution
and curb the scale of production. “The world needs urgently an international plastic
treaty, one that regulates production, one that addresses pollution from its very
source," said Li Shuo of Greenpeace. Dynamics between countries echoes those in
international climate negotiations, where "big producer countries are on the defence",
he told AFP, adding that producers want to focus on pollution and not cuts in how
much plastic is made.

Source: https://mb.com.ph/2023/6/3/first-draft-of-plastics-treaty-to-be-done-by-year-
s-end-un
News Clippings

Insights

It cannot be denied that plastics have become part of our everyday lives but
also a major environmental issue in combating climate change. Recently, the first draft
of an international treaty in combating plastic pollution is expected to be finished by
the end of November. About 175 nations have gathered and held 5 days of grueling
talks before reaching an agreement. This treaty is expected to regulate plastic
production, one that addresses pollution from its very source.

Upon hearing the news, four sectors or businesses are expected to be

positively affected. First are scientists who are researchers or inventors of any
biodegradable or sustainable packaging. Not only that their work will be credited but
also that they can be granted patents or funds for their biodegradable or sustainable
packaging. One example is seaweed as a substitute for traditional plastic. In fact,
seaweed has been investigated as a raw material for a new generation of biologically
derived plastic products. The process that has been developed also provides fish and
animal feed as by-products (CORDIS EU Research Results, 2023). Second, eco-
friendly businesses such as whose packaging or products are made of biodegradable
materials. For instance, plastic straws made out of pasta or bamboo have been in
trend lately and can be seen used in some food restaurants or cafes. The demand for
these products will increase as more businesses will purchase these biodegradable
products. Third, refillable station businesses which are usually dish soaps and
detergents will be more likely in demand in the future. With the treaty, some branded
solutions such as refillable dish soap might be stopped from being manufactured.
Thus, consumers will prefer the refillable stations since it is what is more available in
the market and much cheaper. Fourth, climate change activists will be one of the
sectors who are happy about the treaty since regulating plastics means less fossil
fuels to burn and less carbon emissions. Afterall, one of the causes of climate change
are manufacturers and industries that produce emissions, mostly from burning fossil
fuels to produce energy for making things like cement, iron, steel, electronics, plastics,
clothes, and other goods (United Nations, n.d.).

On the other side, four sectors or businesses are not happy with the treaty. This
includes, first, fossil suppliers such as Saudi Arabia. It has been mentioned in the
news how countries like Saudi Arabia resisted the idea about the treaty first since their
main natural resources include fossil fuels and oil. Second, plastic manufacturers
especially from China. China was also one of the countries that resisted the treaty first
since they are one of the plastic producers in the world and regulating plastics means
less demand for their products. Third, single plastic users or businesses such as the
use of plastic forks, spoons, straws, or even cups will be affected since there is less
availability of single plastic products in the market. This means they will need to make
changes and buy more biodegradable products which are usually more costly
compared to the traditional single plastic products. Fourth, businesses whose
packaging are plastics might possibly affect them negatively since they will also have
to change their packaging and find alternative ways to package their products.
News Clippings

Overall, there will always be a positive and negative side on every issue or
decision that is made in the treaty. It can be synthesized how as plastic pollution
continues to increase in the world, there is a real need to regulate it or better ban it for
the betterment of our environment and for the health of every living being despite it
will require change for all and will take time to be fully implemented. As a student,
what me and my classmates can do is to support this change and be a part of change
by using biodegradable or sustainable products like eco-bag when doing groceries or
refilling our used plastic bottles for dish soaps.

References

Agence France-Presse. (2023, June 3). First draft of plastics treaty to be done by

year’s end: UN . Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2023/6/3/first-draft-of-

plastics-treaty-to-be-done-by-year-s-end-un

CORDIS EU Research Results. (2023). CORDIS | European Commission.

Europa.eu. https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/170424-seaweed-a-sustainable-

source-of-bioplastics

United Nations. (n.d.). Causes and Effects of Climate Change | United Nations.

United Nations; United Nations. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from

https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/causes-effects-climate-change