In South Korea, a significant movement is underway to combat plastic pollution, highlighted by the recent talks in Busan aimed at creating a global treaty to address this issue.
The fifth and final round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty began on November 25, 2024, with delegates from over 175 countries participating.
The goal is to forge a legally binding agreement to reduce plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle, from production to disposal.
The urgency of these talks is underscored by the alarming statistics: the world produces 460 million Tonnes of plastic annually, much of which is quickly discarded, leading to severe environmental and health impacts. By 2050, it is estimated that there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans.
The treaty aims to address these issues by setting mandatory targets to cap and reduce virgin plastic production, eliminate single-use plastics, and ban toxic chemicals in all plastics.
Environmental organizations and activists have made strong treaty demands loud and clear.
On the eve of the negotiations, 1,500 activists marched in Busan, and civil society groups delivered a petition with nearly three million signatures, calling for stringent measures to curb plastic production.
The treaty’s success hinges on addressing the entire lifecycle of plastics, including the production of primary plastic polymers, which are made from fossil fuels and contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
However, the negotiations face challenges, particularly from major fossil fuel-producing countries like Saudi Arabia and Russia, which are pushing to exclude plastic production from the treaty and focus solely on recycling measures.
Despite these hurdles, there is cautious optimism that a meaningful agreement can be reached, with broad support from various stakeholders, including governments, businesses, and civil society
