Countries negotiating a global treaty to address plastic pollution have hit a roadblock as more than 100 nations push for capping plastic production while a few oil-producing countries focus solely on managing plastic waste. The recent fifth UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) meeting in Busan, South Korea, aimed to finalize a legally binding global treaty but ended with significant disagreements.
Key issues that led to the impasse included differing views on capping plastic production, managing plastic products and chemicals, and financing for developing countries to implement the treaty. A proposal supported by over 100 countries sought to establish a global plastic production reduction target, while another proposal omitted production caps.
