An art installation depicting a whale with an interior lined with plastic waste is displayed near the entrance of Bexco in Busan on November 30, 2024, the venue of the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution (INC-5). (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)
Busan, South Korea: 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.
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.
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.
Two years ago, countries agreed they would find a way to address the crisis by the end of 2024.
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.
A draft text released Sunday afternoon after multiple delays included a wide range of options, reflecting ongoing disagreement.
And chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso acknowledged late Sunday that "a few critical issues still prevent us from reaching a comprehensive agreement."
"These unresolved issues remain challenging and additional time will be needed to address them effectively," he said.
"There is a general agreement to resume the current session at a later date to conclude our negotiations."
Several nations took to the floor to support the call for more time -- but their agreement ended there.
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."
She delivered a statement on behalf of dozens of countries, demanding a treaty with targets to reduce production and phase out chemicals of concern.
"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.
