The Global Plastics Treaty is an ambitious global effort to end plastic pollution. This meeting in Switzerland, the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2), marks the final round of negotiations. Here, delegates from 175 UN member states will be convening to develop and agree upon a legally binding treaty that addresses the full plastics lifecycle (from extraction of resources, through to disposal).
Winnie will be observing the discussions as they unfold over the next two weeks (3rd – 15th August), and contributing scientific evidence, as well as meeting with other scientists and delegates from all over the world.
Pollution from plastic is a global crisis, with evidence showing its harm to human and environmental health. More than 450 million tonnes of plastic are produced each year, a figure which is projected to double within the next twenty years, without meaningful action. The global plastics treaty therefore represents an unprecedented opportunity to mandate global action.
For the last decade, Winnie has been studying the sources and effects of (micro)plastic pollution, and some of the solutions being proposed. She has participated in the international discussions around the development and delivery of the treaty since the outset.
Winnie will be joining members from the , where she is a working group lead, to support calls for an agreement to be grounded in robust scientific evidence.
The Global Plastics Treaty represents a historic opportunity to protect human health and the environment.
The issue of plastic pollution is truly a global one; with plastics identified in every corner of the environment, from the highest mountain peaks to the deep seafloor. There is clear scientific evidence of harmful effects from plastic pollution on a global scale. This includes harm to animals and the environment, harm to societies, and to human health. With plastic production continuing to increase, these effects will only worsen. That is why meaningful and collective action through the agreement of an ambitious and evidence-based Treaty is necessary.
