Review: Including a human rights approach in the Global Plastics Treaty can ensure protection of people and the environment — R0/PR2

Plastic pollution, once seen mainly as an ocean issue, is now understood as a threat across the entire life cycle of plastics – impacting climate, biodiversity and human health. Scientific evidence shows that every stage, from fossil fuel extraction to use to waste (mis)management, harms the environment and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, violating basic human rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water, information and a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The proposed Global Plastics Treaty should explicitly integrate human rights to strengthen its effectiveness. Doing so would align it with existing international agreements, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Aarhus Convention and the Escazú Agreement, reinforcing obligations to protect people from pollution. Hazardous chemicals in plastics, often hidden or underreported by industry, pose direct and indirect threats to human health and well-being. Recognizing the right to science and access to information is key for public participation and accountability. Many countries, including regional blocs and alliances, support a rights-based approach for the Global Plastics Treaty. Human rights can be embedded in all parts of the treaty, from its preamble to implementation mechanisms. This integration not only enhances environmental protection but also ensures social justice. Without such an approach, governments risk future legal challenges for failing to protect citizens from the harms of plastic pollution.