Negotiations on the plastics treaty continue despite challenges. Countries emphasize the urgency of addressing plastic waste, citing impacts on oceans, ecosystems, and communities. Advocates argue the current decision-making format stifles progress, as consensus is proving ineffective. Pressure is mounting to shift to majority voting to spur action. Protests during discussions highlight growing frustration with stalled negotiations and demand for ambitious commitments. Delegates express the need for effective agreements to combat the escalating plastic pollution crisis, emphasizing the importance of decisive actions to safeguard environmental health and livelihoods.
"We cannot ignore the gravity of the situation," a negotiator from Madagascar said. "Every day, our oceans and ecosystems and communities are suffering from the consequences of our inability to make decisive and unified actions."
Tuvalu's delegate, Pepetua Election Latasi, said failing to enact a treaty means that "millions of tons of plastic waste will continue to be dumped in our oceans, affecting our ecosystem, food security, livelihoods, and culture."
Bjorn Beeler, executive director of the International Pollutants Elimination Network, stated, "This meeting proved that consensus is dead. The problem is not going away."
Senimili Nakora, from Fiji, explained during the closing plenary that "consensus is worth seeking if it moves us forward, not if it stalls the process."
#plastics-treaty #environmental-policy #consensus-decision-making #marine-pollution #international-negotiations
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