John Swinney has been told to back a global treaty after campaigners described current action to tackle the plastics 'crisis' as "insufficient".

Environmental campaigners from across Scotland urged the First Minister to “make good” on his climate commitments by signing the Scottish Government up to the Global Plastics Treaty.

The worldwide agreement to end plastic pollution is due to be finalised in South Korea at the end of November.

Scores of countries – including Sweden, France and Australia – have already backed the treaty.

But groups including Friends of the Earth Scotland and the Marine Conservation Scotland have written to Mr Swinney and the acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin to demand climate action is escalated.

In 2016, ministers signed the Plastics Economy Global Commitment – a voluntary agreement to end plastic packaging waste by 2025.

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However, with that deadline just months away, campaigners warn “almost no progress has been made”.

The letter tells the First Minister: “Scotland must play its part, both in demonstrating its unwavering support to securing a legally binding international treaty, and in acting urgently and ambitiously at home.

"In Scotland, much of the plastic we use is unnecessary, designed for single use and often not even recyclable."

In June 2022, Scotland became the first country in the UK to implement a ban on single-use plastics.

It made it illegal for businesses to supply items like plastic straws, cutlery and containers made of expanded polystyrene.

Failure to comply with the law could have resulted in businesses being handed fines of up to £5,000. However, no fines were issued after a year, according to STV News. 

The letter went on to say:  “Measures in place today, such as recycling and selective product bans, have proven insufficient in addressing the plastic crisis.

“Solutions must address the root cause of the crisis – how plastics are produced and sold.

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“Only policy makers can hold the producers and retailers to account for the harm created their plastic products. Many of the actions required to achieve this must be taken at a devolved level.”

The letter added: “It is time for the Scottish Government to make good on these promises and take action to end plastic pollution, both as part of the global effort and here in Scotland.”

The organisations have also asked the Scottish Government to commit to changes within Scotland such as introducing transparent targets to reduce plastic production and waster in the forthcoming Circular Economy Strategy.

Other measures include introducing a programme which makes producers and retailers pay for the clean up of plastics waste.

Kim Pratt, of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Plastic causes climate-wrecking emissions, environmental damage and harms on our health.

“The Scottish Government needs to make good on its promise to tackle the plastics crisis.

“The Scottish Government signed an agreement eight years ago, but they haven’t taken the action needed to tackle the cause of the plastic crisis which lies in the continual growth in production.

“With the world watching, governments must come together to create a commitment that does work. The Global Plastics Treaty has the potential to tackle the crisis head on, and the Scottish Government should show its strong support for this approach.

“It must also take real action at home to take responsibility for this problem. That means holding companies to account for the plastic products and packaging they sell and making sure everyone in Scotland has access to more sustainable choices to plastic products.”

It comes after ministers scrapped its annual and interim climate change targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions in April, causing concern among environmental groups and then-government partners the Scottish Greens.

Ministers insisted the long-term 2045 target of net zero remains a key target, but admitted plans to cut emissions by 75% by 2030 was "out of reach".

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Scotland was the first part of the UK to implement a ban on some of the most problematic single-use plastic products but it is clear that more needs to be done.

"We continue to work closely with the UK Government on this matter."