By Gaurav Saini
New Delhi, Feb 12: US President Donald Trump’s decision to embrace plastic straws is not just about straws, with experts warning on Tuesday that it could slow down the global progress in tackling the plastic problem and suggesting the world must now look for solutions without relying on the United States.
Trump, who had already withdrawn the US from the Paris climate agreement, signed an executive order on Monday reversing restrictions on plastic straws, declaring, “Paper straws don’t work.”
But the move is about more than just straws. It signals a broader setback in the global fight against plastic pollution, especially as countries are negotiating a legally-binding treaty to address the crisis.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world produces more than 430 million tonnes of plastic every year, two-thirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste, polluting oceans and even entering the human food chain.
If no urgent action is taken, the global plastic waste could nearly triple to 1.2 billion tonnes by 2060.
Chandrabhushan, president and CEO of policy think tank International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology, said Trump’s stance is unsurprising.
“The US under Trump will walk away from every environmental negotiation. The US is the world’s largest consumer of plastic, oil and gas. Under Trump, the progress made in the past 20 years on climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity conservation will be lost,” he said.
He added that rebuilding global trust and momentum will take at least a decade after Trump’s tenure.
“The US has always been the biggest obstacle in intergovernmental negotiations, whether on climate change, biodiversity loss or plastic pollution,” Chandrabhushan said.
“The world now needs to rethink on multilateralism — how regions can cooperate if a global consensus is not possible. We must explore solutions to climate change and other environmental crises without relying on the US. However, if the global economy moves forward, the US cannot afford to lag. If everyone transitions to electric vehicles and green energy, how will the US sustain itself by selling oil?” he asked.
Harjeet Singh, climate activist and founding director of Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, called the US decision “a gift to the fossil-fuel industry and a betrayal of the global efforts to curb plastic pollution”.
Despite being the largest historical contributor to fossil-fuel emissions and the biggest per-capita generator of plastic waste, the US is refusing to lead, undermining the plastics-treaty negotiations and fuelling the expansion of petrochemicals, he said.
“This locks us into a future of more emissions, more waste and greater environmental injustice. It is unacceptable that the US is propping up the very industry driving the climate and ecological crises,” Singh said.
He said countries must push forward with bold solutions to global crises whether or not the US is on board. “But as the largest historical polluter, the US has the greatest responsibility to act and pay its fair share.”
Suneel Pandey, director of the Circular Economy and Waste Management Division at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), highlighted that most polymers come from fossil fuel-based petrochemical industries.
“The Trump administration has already signalled that oil companies will continue drilling, leading to more oil production. Naturally, plastic production will also continue. They are not looking to reduce plastic production or consumption,” he said.
However, Pandey noted that India has already moved away from plastic straws, in line with its commitment to phase out single-use plastic. “This means that the US policy shift will not impact India’s initiatives,” he said.
On the global plastics-treaty negotiations, Pandey said a binding agreement remains difficult. “Some countries, led by Russia, oppose a legally-binding treaty. The US is also heading in that direction.”
Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, programme manager of the Solid Waste Management Unit at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said the US has never played a leadership role in the plastics-treaty negotiations.
“The US rarely reveals its position in intergovernmental talks. It does not take a strong stand or actively participate. Traditionally, it has not done enough,” he said.
He warned that the US decision could embolden countries opposing strong plastic regulations.
“Right now, we are at a deadlock. But in the next round of negotiations, the situation may change,” Singh said.
Without US support, he added, funding for tackling plastic pollution could shrink.
“What the world could have achieved in five years may now take a decade. Progress will be slow but the world will move forward,” he said.
However, Singh emphasised that the outcome of the plastics treaty does not depend on a single country.
“The US decision will affect negotiations but we should not give it more importance than it deserves,” he said. (PTI)
