{"id":426784,"date":"2024-12-02T11:14:59","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T11:14:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=426784"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"Plastic-pollution-talks-fail-to-reach-landmark-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/Plastic-pollution-talks-fail-to-reach-landmark-deal\/","title":{"rendered":"Plastic pollution talks fail to reach landmark deal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Deeply divided negotiators failed on Sunday to reach a landmark global treaty to curb plastic pollution, missing a self-imposed deadline, and agreed to extend their talks.<\/p>\n

For a week, delegates from nearly 200 nations meeting in South Korea have wrestled with how to stop millions of tonnes of plastic waste entering the environment each year.<\/p>\n

Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peak, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body.<\/p>\n

Two years ago, countries agreed they would find a way to address the crisis by the end of 2024.<\/p>\n

But a week of talks in Busan has failed to resolve deep divisions between “high-ambition” countries seeking a globally binding agreement to limit production and phase out harmful chemicals, and “like-minded”, mostly oil-producing nations that want to focus on waste.<\/p>\n

A draft text released Sunday afternoon after multiple delays included a wide range of options, reflecting ongoing disagreement.<\/p>\n

And chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso acknowledged late Sunday that “a few critical issues still prevent us from reaching a comprehensive agreement.”<\/p>\n

“These unresolved issues remain challenging and additional time will be needed to address them effectively,” he said.<\/p>\n

“There is a general agreement to resume the current session at a later date to conclude our negotiations.”<\/p>\n

Several nations took to the floor to support the call for more time — but their agreement ended there.<\/p>\n

Rwandan delegate Juliet Kabera spoke of “strong concerns about ongoing calls by a small group of countries to remove binding provisions from the text that are indispensable for the treaty to be effective.”<\/p>\n

She delivered a statement on behalf of dozens of countries, demanding a treaty with targets to reduce production and phase out chemicals of concern.<\/p>\n

“A treaty that lacks these elements and only relies on voluntary measures would not be acceptable,” she said, inviting supporting delegations to stand up to extensive applause from the plenary room.<\/p>\n

– ‘Huge gap’ –<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia’s Abdulrahman Al Gwaiz however pushed back strongly on continued discussion of production or chemicals of concern.<\/p>\n

“If you address plastic pollution, there should be no problem with producing plastics, because the problem is the pollution, not the plastics themselves,” he said.<\/p>\n

Backed by allies including other Arab nations, Russia and Iran, he insisted that every part of a latest draft text should “be open for proposals” if talks continue.<\/p>\n

Iran too said there was still a “huge gap” between parties, while Russia warned that agreeing a treaty was “being hampered by ambitions on the part of certain parties that are too high.”<\/p>\n

The comments raised the prospect that any new talks could follow the pattern seen in Busan, where repeated attempts by the chair to synthesise and streamline text encountered resistance.<\/p>\n

Delegations seeking an ambitious treaty earlier warned that a handful of countries was steadfastly blocking progress.<\/p>\n

A French minister accused the like-minded group of “continuing obstruction,” while Fiji’s Sivendra Michael called out a “very minority group” for “blocking the process.”<\/p>\n

Diplomats have declined to directly name those preventing a deal, but public statements and submissions have shown Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia have sought to block production cuts and other ambitious goals.<\/p>\n

All three delegations declined repeated AFP requests for comment.<\/p>\n

Environmental groups warned that another round of talks could be similarly hamstrung if ambitious countries were not willing to push for a vote.<\/p>\n

“We need to break out of this cage of consensus that is condemning us to failure, and start to think much more creatively about how we deliver a treaty that the world desperately needs,” said Greenpeace’s Graham Forbes.<\/p>\n

“For too long, a small minority of states have held the negotiation process hostage,” added Eirik Lindebjerg of WWF.<\/p>\n

“These countries have no intention of finding a meaningful solution to this crisis and yet they continue to prevent the large majority of states who do.”<\/p>\n

The world’s top two plastic producers — China and the United States — have stayed relatively quiet in public.<\/p>\n

Neither backed Rwanda’s statement, though China’s delegate warned of “concerns that have not been reflected in a balanced manner.”<\/p>\n

bur-sah\/bfm<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A handful of mostly oil-producing states are holding firm over key sticking points on a treaty aimed at reducing plastic pollution<\/p>\n

-ANTHONY WALLACE
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Place names of countries are displayed near the entrance of the plastics talks in Busan, South Korea<\/p>\n

-ANTHONY WALLACE
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

An art installation depicting a whale with an interior lined with plastic waste is displayed near the venue’s entrance<\/p>\n

-ANTHONY WALLACE
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Dozens of countries say they want an ambitious treaty that would set targets to limit plastic production<\/p>\n

-ANTHONY WALLACE
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Plastic production is on track to triple by 2060, and more than 90 percent of plastic is not recycled<\/p>\n

-SONNY TUMBELAKA
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

INC-5 Chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso says negotiators have failed to reach agreement on a landmark treaty to curb plastic pollution and need more time<\/p>\n

-Anthony WALLACE
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Nearly 200 nations are in South Korea’s Busan for negotiations that are supposed to result in the world’s first accord on the issue after two years of discussions<\/p>\n

-Anthony WALLACE
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Delegates and guests attend the open plenary session in Busan on December 1, 2024<\/p>\n

-ANTHONY WALLACE
<\/figcaption><\/figure>

<\/p>\n

Quantity of plastic at different stages of its lifecycle (production, waste, recycling, mismanagement), per year, worldwide according to OECD data<\/p>\n

-Valentin RAKOVSKY, Jean-Michel CORNU
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