The fifth meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) has begun in Busan, South Korea, bringing together representatives from 175 countries to discuss finalizing a global legally binding treaty aimed at curbing plastic pollution.

Source: Packaging-Gateway

However, these discussions are facing challenges, particularly regarding the contentious issue of capping plastic production.

The previous negotiations held in Ottawa, Canada, ended without reaching a consensus on this crucial matter, prompting a shift in focus towards concerning chemicals and other related strategies.

Notably, major petrochemical-producing nations, such as Saudi Arabia and China, have expressed strong opposition to production limits, a viewpoint that has sparked pushback from countries significantly impacted by plastic pollution.

Without significant intervention the amount of plastic entering the environment annually by 2040 is expected to nearly double compared to 2022.

The ongoing rifts in the discussions surrounding the plastics treaty are reminiscent of the difficulties encountered in UN initiatives to combat global warming.