Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Aotearoa New Zealand is participating in global negotiations to establish an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution.
In March, 193 nations endorsed a historic decision to end plastic pollution and negotiate an international legally-binding agreement to end plastic pollution by the end of 2024.
The landmark decision includes the need to address the full lifecycle of plastic, including production, design and disposal. It will also take aim at microplastics – extremely small pieces of plastic debris broken down from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products.
The amount of plastic in our seas, soil and waterways is a growing global problem, causing harm to the environment, including marine life, and microplastics also have adverse health consequences.
Plastic pollution ruins our landscapes and can be fatal to our marine life. It has been found in fish, shellfish and seabirds around the world. Microplastics have even been found in pristine Antarctica.
Aotearoa New Zealand alone generates about half a million tonne of plastic products each year, from imported resins and plastic materials. More than half is made in to plastic packaging, and the rest becomes products for agriculture and construction.
In the international negotiations ahead, Aotearoa New Zealand will be guided by the three key principles of its National Plastics Action Plan(external link): using less plastic, moving towards a circular economy for reusable materials, and minimising the use of particularly harmful plastics.
Additionally, New Zealand has joined other countries, including Australia, Canada, Norway, and the UK, in the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution. The High Ambition Coalition is committed to develop an ambitious international legally binding instrument and shares a common ambition to end plastic pollution by 2040.
Aotearoa New Zealand is advocating for a treaty that incorporates indigenous knowledge and the best available science, and considers the specific needs of the Pacific region. Pacific Island countries depend on healthy seas and soil for their livelihoods. They do not produce plastic waste, yet they are disproportionately impacted by plastics produced thousands of kilometres away
The negotiations began last night in Uruguay.
Notes to editors:
- In February, at the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, States from around the world agreed to work towards a new global agreement combatting plastic pollution.
- The overarching goal is to establish an international legally-binding instrument to end plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, with work concluding by the end of 2024.
- A global agreement is consistent with New Zealand’s research and work on plastic. This includes the National Plastics Action Plan(external link) (September 2021) and Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand(external link) (December 2019).
- The development of a legally-binding global agreement will cover the full lifecycle of plastics from production to disposal and will include microplastics - extremely small pieces of plastic debris.
- The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee is expected to complete its work by the end of 2024.
- The UNEP recognises the importance of traditional knowledge in the fight for a better environment. NZ’s participation in discussions will be consistent with the Treaty of Waitangi/Tiriti o Waitangi, and uphold Māori interests and rights, including the role traditional knowledge plays in the sustainable management and protection of the environment. Aotearoa New Zealand’s negotiations and participation relies on thorough consultation with Māori.
- On average each New Zealander sends nearly 60 kilograms of plastic to landfill every year. On a per-capita basis, Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the most wasteful nations in the world.
- Plastic is used throughout the economy and its benefits mean we will continue to use it for many applications, particularly for medical uses.
- The Ministry for the Environment is currently developing a new waste strategy to address waste in Aotearoa. New Zealand is aligning our waste management with circular economy principles and working towards changing the way we collectively think about resource use.