The United States is set to support a significant global treaty aiming to reduce annual plastic production, marking a major shift from its previous stance, according to a source close to U.S. negotiators who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday. This change positions the U.S. against major plastic-producing countries like Saudi Arabia and China.

Previously, the U.S. advocated for allowing individual countries to decide on plastic production policies. However, the new approach aligns the U.S. with a coalition of high-ambition countries, including EU member states, South Korea, Canada, Rwanda, and Peru, which have pushed for a global plastics treaty to cap and gradually decrease plastic production. These nations also seek to address harmful chemicals used in plastic production.

The shift in U.S. policy comes ahead of the UN’s upcoming summit in Busan, South Korea, scheduled for November. This summit will follow the U.S. presidential election on November 5, where Vice President Kamala Harris faces former President Donald Trump. Trump has previously withdrawn the U.S. from global environmental agreements, including the UN Paris climate accord.

The U.S. now supports creating a global list of chemicals to phase out and establishing criteria for identifying “avoidable plastic products” to eliminate, aiming to avoid a fragmented approach with varying national regulations. This aligns with the high ambition countries’ goal to address both plastic production and its environmental impact comprehensively.

The debate over the treaty’s scope was contentious during the last round of negotiations in Ottawa in April, with major plastic producers blocking production caps in favor of focusing on recycling and waste management. The EU and other proponents have initiated the “Bridge to Busan” effort to ensure that production targets remain part of the treaty discussions.

The White House is briefing stakeholders on its updated position, which it views as an increase in ambition. This policy shift precedes a parallel meeting in Bangkok later this month and follows recent U.S. policy announcements aimed at tackling plastic pollution.

(Adapted from ThePrint.in)

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