Global negotiations for a treaty to curb plastic pollution stalled as nations clashed over capping production and waste management, postponing key decisions to a future meeting.
BUSAN, South Korea (Reuters) -Countries negotiating a global treaty to curb plastic pollution failed to reach agreement on Monday, with more than 100 nations wanting to cap production while a handful of oil-producers were prepared only to target plastic waste.
The fifth U.N. Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) meeting intended to yield a legally binding global treaty in Busan, South Korea, was meant to be the final one.
However, countries remained far apart on the basic scope of a treaty and could agree only to postpone key decisions and resume talks, dubbed INC 5.2, to a later date.
"It is clear that there is still persisting divergence," said Inger Andersen, executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme.
The most divisive issues included capping plastic production, managing plastic products and chemicals of concern, and financing to help developing countries implement the treaty.
An option proposed by Panama, backed by more than 100 countries, would have created a path for a global plastic production reduction target, while another proposal did not include production caps.
The fault lines were apparent in a revised document released on Sunday by the meeting's chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso, which may form the basis of a treaty, but remained riddled with options on the most sensitive issues.
"A treaty that ... only relies on voluntary measures would not be acceptable," said Juliet Kabera, director general of Rwanda's Environment Management Authority.
"It is time we take it seriously and negotiate a treaty that is fit for purpose and not built to fail."
A small number of petrochemical-producing nations, such as Saudi Arabia, have strongly opposed efforts to reduce plastic production and have tried to use procedural tactics to delay negotiations.
"There was never any consensus," said Saudi Arabian delegate Abdulrahman Al Gwaiz. "There are a couple of articles that somehow seem to make it (into the document) despite our continued insistence that they are not within the scope."
China, the United States, India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia were the top five primary polymer-producing nations in 2023, according to data provider Eunomia.
ENTRENCHED DIVISIONS
Had such divisions been overcome, the treaty would have been one of the most significant deals relating to environmental protection since the 2015 Paris Agreement.
The postponement comes just days after the turbulent conclusion of the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.
At Baku, countries set a new global target for mobilizing $300 billion annually in climate finance, a deal deemed woefully insufficient by small island states and many developing countries.
The climate talks were also slowed by procedural manoeuvres by Saudi Arabia – who objected to the inclusion of language that reaffirmed a previous commitment to transition away from fossil fuels.
Some negotiators said a few countries held the proceedings hostage, avoiding compromises needed by using the U.N.'s consensus process.
Senegal's National Delegate Cheikh Ndiaye Sylla called it "a big mistake" to exclude voting during the entire negotiations, an agreement made last year during the second round of talks in Paris.
"This outcome underscores the complexity of addressing plastic pollution on a global scale and the need for further deliberations to achieve an effective, inclusive and workable treaty," said Chris Jahn, council secretary of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA), representing plastic makers.
"There is little assurance that the next INC will succeed where INC-5 did not," environmental group GAIA said.
Plastic production is on track to triple by 2050, and microplastics have been found in the air, fresh produce and even human breast milk.
Chemicals found to be of concern in plastics include more than 3,200 according to a 2023 U.N. Environment Programme report, which said women and children were particularly susceptible to their toxicity.
Despite the postponement, several negotiators expressed urgency to get back into talks.
"Every day of delay is a day against humanity. Postponing negotiations does not postpone the crisis," said Panama's delegation head Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez on Sunday.
"When we reconvene, the stakes will be higher."
Iran has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council, accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of making "reckless and belligerent" remarks that violate international law and the U.N. Charter.
The UN Human Rights Council's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has dismissed Armenia’s claims regarding the detention of Ruben Vardanyan. The group confirmed that his detention by Azerbaijan is based on serious criminal charges, not political motives.
Sudan’s war has triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with millions facing famine and aid blocked by warring factions, U.N. officials warned.
The United Nations Security Council will hold a closed-door meeting on Wednesday to address Iran’s growing stockpile of highly enriched uranium, following concerns raised by Western diplomats, sources said on Monday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised recent steps toward normalizing relations between Russia and the United States, describing the development as a positive move for global stability
Greenland's incoming Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen pledged on Monday to strengthen ties with Denmark while pursuing the Arctic island's ultimate goal of independence.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday that the United States has imposed additional visa restrictions on Chinese officials involved in policies that limit foreign access to Tibetan areas.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the French court’s decision to bar far-right leader Marine Le Pen from the 2027 presidential election as a “very big deal,” comparing her situation to his own legal troubles.
Iran has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council, accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of making "reckless and belligerent" remarks that violate international law and the U.N. Charter.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots, monitoring a Chinese navy warship as it navigated Australian waters, were alerted to a live-fire exercise via a civilian radio broadcast, defense officials revealed on Tuesday.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4-magnitude tremor, killing 2056 people and leaving 3,900 injured. The quake caused building collapses in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and ongoing rescue efforts.
As the world shifts toward clean energy at an ever-accelerating pace, large economies are scrambling to secure reliable supply chains for rare earth minerals. These minerals, once seen as mere industrial components, have become a political tool in the global power struggle
Russian forces carried out a drone attack on Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, late Wednesday, injuring at least twenty one people and causing structural damage, according to Ukrainian officials.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen was banned from running for public office for five years after being convicted of embezzlement, ruling her out of the 2027 presidential race. She received a four-year prison sentence, with two years suspended, and a €100,000 fine. Le Pen plans to appeal.
The World Bank reported that air pollution leads to approximately 5.7 million deaths each year, with 95% of fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income nations. It also causes economic losses amounting to 5% of global GDP due to health impacts, productivity decline, and reduced life expectancy.
France, Italy, and Slovakia have urged the EU to simplify its carbon border levy rules this year, calling for reduced red tape and standardized emissions calculations to ease the burden on businesses.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) officially confirmed that 2024 was a record year for renewables additions to global power capacity. Renewables represented more than 92 per cent of all new electricity generation capacity installed last year.
The Sydney opera house, and other iconic national monuments round the world turned off their lights at 8:30pm local time to commemorate earth hour.
A new national forest stretching from the Cotswolds to the Mendips is set to be created, the UK government has announced. 20 million trees set to be planted across the West of England in the coming decades, creating at least 2,500 hectares of new woodland.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi praised recent steps toward normalizing relations between Russia and the United States, describing the development as a positive move for global stability
Greenland's incoming Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen pledged on Monday to strengthen ties with Denmark while pursuing the Arctic island's ultimate goal of independence.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday that the United States has imposed additional visa restrictions on Chinese officials involved in policies that limit foreign access to Tibetan areas.
U.S. President Donald Trump described the French court’s decision to bar far-right leader Marine Le Pen from the 2027 presidential election as a “very big deal,” comparing her situation to his own legal troubles.
Iran has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council, accusing U.S. President Donald Trump of making "reckless and belligerent" remarks that violate international law and the U.N. Charter.
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