NEW DELHI: Negotiations to ratify a legally binding treaty to curb plastic pollution ended without any consensus in Busan, South Korea. Critical unresolved issues necessitated additional time for agreement, according to the chair, Ecuadorian diplomat Luis Vayas Valdivieso. “While it is encouraging that portions of the text have been agreed upon, a few critical issues prevent us from reaching a complete agreement. These unresolved issues remain challenging and additional time will be needed to address them effectively,” Valdivieso noted.
The fifth and final meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) saw over 170 nations attempting to finalize an essential environmental treaty since the 2015 Paris Agreement. Major divisions persisted over three crucial issues which were setting a global cap on polymer production, eliminating harmful chemicals in plastic production, and phasing out harmful plastic products. Oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and Kuwait clashed with high-ambition countries led by Rwanda, Panama, and Mexico.
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Significant plastic producers, India and China opposed production caps. Naresh Pal Gangwar, India’s lead negotiator, emphasized plastic’s vital role in society’s development across various sectors, despite India’s ban on certain products.
The INC-5 sessions were predominantly closed-door, aiming to deliver a final text for a future plastics treaty. However, negotiations deferred to another session, with a small block of petrostates stalling progress and seeking to dilute ambitions.
Despite fossil-fuel producers stalling progress, the global push for a robust plastics treaty has only intensified. “In a remarkable show of strength, we saw more than 100 Member States unite in insisting the treaty include concrete measures to cut plastic production and ban the toxic chemical building blocks that fuel this crisis,” said Daniela Duran Gonzalez, Senior Campaigner.
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The main contention during negotiations was the production cuts on plastic. Delegates grappled with addressing the millions of tonnes of plastic waste flooding ecosystems annually, with microplastics pervasive from Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench—and even within human bodies. High-ambition nations advocated for a globally binding agreement to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals, while oil-producing nations resisted, focusing solely on waste management.
The negotiations, marked by stark divisions, will continue at a later date as the world strives to establish a landmark global treaty to tackle plastic pollution.