World gathers in Busan for potentially historic plastic pollution talks

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World gathers in Busan for potentially historic plastic pollution talks

Published: 25 Nov. 2024, 18:44 Updated: 25 Nov. 2024, 19:43

SEO JI-EUN
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Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Luis Vayas Valdivieso, chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), speaks during the 5th INC session at Bexco in the southeastern city of Busan on Monday, as part of efforts to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. [NEWS1]

Global plastic treaty negotiations began a weeklong run in Korea's port city of Busan on Monday, as environmentalists and officials anticipate that it could lead to a historic treaty to combat global plastic pollution.

On Monday, over 3,800 delegates, including representatives from 175 UN member states, international organizations and environmental groups, convened at Bexco in the southern port city of Busan for the 5th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5). Their goal is to draft a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, or what is being called the "Plastic Treaty."

"Without significant intervention, the amount of plastic entering the environment annually by 2040 is expected to nearly double compared to 2022," INC Chair and the Ambassador of Ecuador to Britain Luis Vayas Valdivieso said during the opening session, describing the issue as "an existential challenge for humanity."

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, in a video message, highlighted the country’s efforts to tackle plastic waste, such as introducing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system 20 years ago to reduce waste and increase recycling rates and strengthening the system through the Act on Promotion of Transition to Circular Economy and Society this year, pledging to share these experiences with the global community.

"We must end plastic pollution before plastic pollution ends us," Korea’s Minister of Environment Kim Wan-sup said, promising active participation in finalizing the treaty text.

Negotiations in Busan, often compared to the Paris Treaty, will focus on four primary areas: regulating harmful chemicals in plastics, improving waste management systems, securing financial mechanisms for international cooperation and establishing compliance and enforcement measures. Plenary sessions and subgroup meetings are scheduled throughout the week to tackle these topics.

The stakes are high. According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), global plastic consumption in 2024 is expected to exceed 500 million tons, generating 400 million tons of waste. Since the 1950s, people have produced 9 billion tons of plastic, with only 9 percent recycled. The remainder has either been incinerated, buried or leaked into the environment, polluting oceans and soil. Microplastics — formed as plastic breaks down — pose significant threats to ecosystems and human health.

"We can all agree that there are some chemicals that we don’t want in our food, our homes, or the bodies of our children and loved ones," UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said.

Environment activists call for a reduction in plastic production in front of BEXCO in the southeastern city of Busan on Monday, where the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution opened. [YONHAP]

Despite the urgency, disagreements threaten to derail progress.

Oil-producing countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, strongly oppose regulations on plastic production and have suggested a follow-up session, INC-5.1, rather than concluding negotiations this week. Critics view this as a stalling tactic, exploiting the requirement for consensus in INC decisions. China, the world’s largest plastic producer, has also opposed production cuts.

The United States has shown mixed signals. Although it expressed support for reducing plastic production in August, it has recently softened its stance, advocating for a voluntary system where nations set their own reduction goals — coinciding with Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency.

Korea, as host, finds itself in a delicate position. It is part of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC), which supports strict regulations, but it is also the world’s fourth-largest plastic producer.

"We aim to mediate and reach agreements on achievable aspects within the timeline," Han Min-young, a senior official at Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said.

Despite the challenges, INC Chair Vayas Valdivieso was confident that the talks would produce meaningful outcomes, saying the agreement would evolve as a "living document," growing stronger over time.

BY JEONG EUN-HYE, SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]