WASHINGTON, DC, August 16, 2024 — Pacific Environment applauds the Biden administration shifting its position to take a stronger stance on the Global Plastics Treaty, including signaling an openness to including legally binding measures to reduce global plastic production. 

The United States had previously held a position that capping plastic production should be left to each U.N. Member States, siding with fossil fuel and plastics industries who have had significant representation at the international United Nations Environment Programme’s negotiations. But a treaty without binding production measures would effectively perpetuate the status quo, given that thus far country by country actions have not significantly abated plastic pollution.

Kristen McDonald, Senior Plastics Director at Pacific Environment, issued the following statement: 

“We applaud the recent shift by the Biden-Harris administration in recognizing that a reduction in plastic production is the only way forward to address the global plastic pollution crisis. The science is clear: plastic is devastating to our health, pollutes the environment and is a significant source of climate change. We look forward to seeing the United States take a leadership position on production reduction in Busan this November at the next and final U.N. Plastics Treaty negotiation.” 

This shift comes just weeks after the White House released a new strategy for U.S. Federal Government action on plastic pollution. The plan is the Biden-Harris administration’s most comprehensive to date — including the need for a “full lifecycle approach” to plastic reduction, and with more focus on the impacts on Indigenous Peoples and frontline communities. In terms of concrete measures, the plan outlines new policies for phasing out purchasing of single-use plastic for government procurement, an important sign of commitment.

Plastic is made from fossil fuels and produces greenhouse gasses at every stage of its lifecycle. Our modeling shows that plastic must be reduced by at least 75% to stay within global climate limits. Further, a large and growing body of science points to the negative health impacts of plastics on our health. Impacts range from devastatingly high cancer rates in communities living near petrochemical plants to clogged arteries from microplastics ingested through food and water.  

We welcome and applaud the Biden Administration’s shift towards seeking a science-based treaty that actually reduces plastic pollution and protects our environment, health and climate. We further encourage the U.S. government to take a strong leadership role as we approach the final stage of negotiations, focusing on: ensuring binding targets for production reduction and effective means to phase out toxic chemicals and problematic and avoidable plastics; fully engaging with Indigenous Peoples, frontline communities, scientists, civil society and other experts; and, setting groundwork for a just transition with particular focus on the needs of Global South countries.  

About Pacific Environment

Pacific Environment works to stop climate change and ensure healthy ecosystems around the Pacific Rim for the benefit of people and our planet. 

For more than thirty years, we have worked in alliance with locally-led initiatives and catalyzed game-changing policy wins for the region’s peoples, ecosystems and climate.

We focus on major global industries that have received less public attention but whose carbon emissions are significant and still growing: the maritime shipping and the petrochemical (plastics) industries. Both industries also cause large-scale damage to our region’s ecosystems and produce extensive pollution that harms people and all living things.  

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