Over 100 countries back plastic treaty caps as talks reach fierce finish

1/12/2024 7:49

        Negotiators aiming for an international treaty to curb plastic pollution are set for fierce debate on the last day of scheduled talks, as over 100 countries supportive of a pact that would cap plastic production face off against a handful of oil-producing countries who want it focused just on waste.
        
        The fifth and final UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) meeting to yield a legally binding international treaty is set to wrap up in Busan on Sunday, but as of Sunday morning, a final plenary session has not been set.
        
        The hoped-for treaty to come out of these talks could be the most significant deal relating to environmental protection as well as climate-warming emissions since the 2015 Paris Agreement.
        
        As of Sunday, countries remained far apart on the basic scope of the treaty, with one option proposed by Panama - and backed by over 100 countries - that creates a path for a global plastic production reduction target and another which does not allow production caps at all.
        
        Some negotiators said select countries were still not budging on their demands as of Saturday night.