Next week, negotiators will meet in Paris to discuss a global plastics treaty. Governments are aiming to agree on a common approach by the end of next year. In the world of multilateral agreements, this is a diplomatic sprint. Environmental campaigners believe this can be a game-changing step in the fight against plastic pollution.
We don’t have much detail yet, just a broad consensus that something must be done. Since the Second World War, humanity’s dependence on plastics has exploded, especially in recent decades. The private sector has largely failed to take responsibility for the unintended damage, and regulation has not kept up.
