In a significant setback for environmental efforts, international negotiations in Busan, South Korea, failed to secure a groundbreaking treaty to combat plastic pollution. The talks, involving nearly 200 nations, concluded without consensus after a week of intense discussions, highlighting deep divisions between participating countries over how to address the global plastic crisis.
The negotiations reached an impasse between two main factions: "high-ambition" nations pushing for a binding global agreement to restrict production and eliminate harmful chemicals, and "like-minded" countries, primarily focused on waste management. The chair of the talks, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, acknowledged that while progress had been made, several "critical issues" remained unresolved, necessitating additional negotiations at a later date.
A draft text released on Sunday revealed the extent of ongoing disagreements, presenting multiple options that underscored the lack of consensus. The deadlock prompted several delegates, including Senegal's Cheikh Sylla, to call for a follow-up session to the INC5 talks, suggesting that additional time could help bridge the dividing positions.
Frustrations emerged as delegations seeking an ambitious treaty accused a small group of nations of deliberately blocking progress. French officials pointed to "continuing obstruction" from the like-minded group, while Rwanda's representative, Juliet Kabera, firmly stated their opposition to a "toothless treaty." Though not explicitly named, oil-producing nations including Saudi Arabia and Russia have been identified as key opponents to production cuts and other ambitious goals.
The world's leading plastic producers, China, and the United States, maintained a notably low profile during the negotiations, abstaining from a press conference of countries advocating for a strong treaty. Mexican delegate Camila Zepeda expressed hope for their eventual support, emphasizing that "this coalition of the willing is an open invitation."
Environmental organizations urged ambitious countries to force a vote rather than schedule additional talks. WWF's global plastics policy lead, Eirik Lindebjerg, argued against extending negotiations, stating, "We know what we need to do to end plastic pollution... simply adding more meetings is not the solution." More than 100 countries currently support setting plastic production reduction targets, with dozens backing the phase-out of certain chemicals and unnecessary plastic products.
Panama's representative, Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez, delivered a stark warning to fellow negotiators, declaring that "history will not forgive us" for failing to secure an ambitious treaty in Busan. His call to action – "step up or get out" – reflected the growing urgency to address global plastic pollution through meaningful international cooperation.