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.
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