UN talks struggle for breakthrough on plastics treaty as deadline looms
With a crucial deadline just days away, the chairman of international negotiations aimed at curbing plastic pollution released a document on Friday that could form the foundation for a global treaty. As delegates from around 175 countries gather in South Korea for the fifth and final meeting of the U.N. Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5), progress has been slow, with discussions advancing at a glacial pace.
Luis Vayas Valdivieso, the chair of the negotiating committee, issued the document in a bid to spur progress as the December 1 deadline looms. The document outlines key measures for consideration, including a global list of plastic products that would require management and a proposed financial mechanism to assist developing countries in implementing the treaty’s provisions.
“The high and rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution… represent a serious environmental and human health problem,” the document emphasizes, reflecting the urgency of the situation.
One of the most contentious issues remains the potential for a global target to reduce plastic production. The document mentions the issue but does not provide clarity on whether such a target will be included in the final treaty. This remains a point of contention, particularly between countries that produce petrochemicals, such as Saudi Arabia, and nations already suffering the environmental consequences of plastic pollution.
Graham Forbes, leader of Greenpeace’s delegation to the talks, voiced strong support for including a reduction target in the treaty. “A global target to reduce plastic production is in (the document),” he said. “Keeping this in the final treaty text must be a redline for any country serious about ending plastic pollution.”
Meanwhile, the petrochemical industry, represented by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA), has argued against mandatory production caps. Stewart Harris, a spokesperson for the ICCA, reiterated the industry’s support for an international treaty, but stressed the need for solutions that focus on reducing plastic waste through recycling and promoting a circular economy, rather than limiting production.
The discussions this week have been marked by frustration, with delegates expressing dissatisfaction at the slow pace and repeated efforts to revisit previous proposals. The current deadlock highlights the difficulty of reaching consensus on how best to address the plastic crisis, which has become one of the most pressing global environmental challenges.
As the talks approach their conclusion, negotiators face the difficult task of balancing the interests of both developed and developing countries, as well as the powerful influence of the petrochemical industry. With the deadline just days away, all eyes are now on whether the delegates can overcome these divides and reach a binding agreement that can begin to address the global plastic pollution epidemic.
