Group of 60 nations, including Korea, calls for global treaty on plastic waste

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Group of 60 nations, including Korea, calls for global treaty on plastic waste

Published: 26 Nov. 2024, 16:41

Participants attend the opening ceremony of the fifth 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. [YONHAP]

A group of about 60 countries committed to ending plastic pollution, including Korea, renewed their calls Tuesday for a global treaty to eliminate plastic waste by 2040.

In a joint ministerial statement, the High Ambition Coalition (HAC), including Britain, Japan and the European Union, stressed the need for the comprehensive treaty to address the "full life cycle of plastics."

The HAC also reiterated its commitment to forging an agreement with common and "legally binding measures" in the statement.

It specifically highlighted the need for the treaty to address the issue of reducing production and consumption of primary plastic polymers to sustainable levels.

On Monday, the fifth round of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5) began for a weeklong run until Sunday in Korea's second-largest city of Busan.

The INC was formed in 2022 under a UN resolution to develop an "international legally binding instrument" on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, based on the commitment to end plastic pollution by 2040.

It aims to draw up a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastics, from production and consumption to disposal, to protect the environment and human health from its negative impacts.

Despite four rounds of talks, little progress has been made due to disagreements over the scope of regulations, which are influenced by each country's interests.

The main sticking point in the negotiations has been whether to regulate the production of plastic polymers, a key raw material sourced from fossil fuels.

Yonhap