We are surrounded by plastic. Whether it be rubbish littered on our streets or actual microplastics inside our bodies, it can seem inescapable even if you try and do the right thing by recycling and reusing products. We know that microplastics in the body, which have sadly even now been found in babies, pose potentially serious health risks. Alongside this, plastic damages the health of the planet due to its contribution to the climate crisis, with over 99% of plastic made from fossil fuels.
To tackle this health and environmental crisis, we need system level change led by governments internationally. This is why nations from around the world have been negotiating a Global Plastics Treaty to develop a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution and facilitate a global transformation away from the linear, throw-away plastics economy. The treaty negotiations will come to an end in South Korea in November, and it now falls to a delegation from our new Labour Government to lead the UK charge for an ambitious global pathway to tackle plastic pollution.
The penultimate negotiations wrapped up in Canada in April, and ahead of the final talks, experts are concerned that there remains a lot of work to be done. The main issue, one that is often the elephant in the room in these conversations, is addressing plastics production. Over half of the plastics ever manufactured have been produced since 2000 and, following the current trajectory, annual production is set to double by 2040. Recent research has found that measures in the plastic treaty to reduce production of certain plastic polymers could halve associated greenhouse gas emissions over the next 25 years. Without tackling the heart of the problem, we won’t be able to address the true scale of the plastic pollution crisis.
Some countries at the negotiations, like Rwanda and Peru, led the ambitious charge to get production on the table for discussion between negotiating sessions and keep the conversation – and ambition – alive. However, under the previous Conservative Governments, the UK, who is a member of the ‘High Ambition Coalition’, failed to take a leading stance on the final days of negotiations and ultimately backed down without supporting the more ambitious countries’ proposals.
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The UK has previously supported a treaty that covers the full lifecycle of plastics including production. This rhetoric was welcome, but it was unfortunately not matched up with ambition at the recent negotiations in Ottawa. The start of the negotiations also wasn’t helped by continued domestic inaction by the previous Conservative Government, including the announcement of a delay until 2027 of the introduction of the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme, which would deliver significant progress towards reducing plastic pollution.
Over 50 countries from across the globe have signed the ‘Bridge to Busan’ Declaration, including the European Union, to build momentum around addressing plastic production at the final negotiations in South Korea. To date, the UK has made a point of positioning itself as a global environmental leader, reflecting on COP26 and announcements like the Blue Planet Fund. New ministers have a real opportunity, which has previously been missed, to join global voices to fight for a better environment – therefore the UK’s name should really be on this Declaration. The call for action on production is being led by countries including Rwanda and the Pacific Small Island Developing States – given the UK’s Commonwealth ties to these nations, it has a duty to support measures that can hugely improve the lives and health of citizens both at home and abroad.
Addressing the multitude of environmental challenges we face has always been a priority for me as an MP. I’ve been particularly focused at a local level by working with schools, environmental activists and charities on addressing plastic pollution. While we desperately need action on a global level, this is interlinked with the need for local change and emphasising the small changes we can make in our daily lives that can help prevent climate change from worsening.
Last year, I met with academics from the University of Manchester for a tour of their Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub that is leading the way in reducing our reliance on plastic.
I also hosted Manchester’s first Mini-COP28 summit in Rusholme, inviting primary schools across the area to present their climate solutions and discuss what can be done locally, nationally and internationally. This is a topic that primarily impacts and is cared for by the youth. Giving young people a voice and the opportunity to highlight the importance of tackling the climate crisis was invaluable. I hope to host a similar event aimed at Secondary Schools for the upcoming COP29 summit.
From speaking to constituents about this matter, I recognise the importance of taking the public with us. Without buy-in from the public, we are unlikely to achieve change and progress. Therefore, we need bold and comprehensive leadership to tackle the waste crisis.
I am reassured that the new Labour Government recognises the severity of this issue and is ready to lead the monumental change we desperately need to address the environmental challenges. I am pleased that Labour is committed to reducing waste and cutting plastic production by moving to a circular economy.
There is no time to waste, the end of year deadline is looming and progress on plastic production is not yet where it needs to be. Labour now has an opportunity to demonstrate our credentials as the party for people and planet on an international scale. I am committed to supporting the Labour government in re-positioning the UK as a global leader in ending plastic pollution.
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