Despite the determined efforts of the Chair and government representatives, countries did not reach a final agreement at the fifth round of negotiations (INC-5) for a global plastics treaty, which closed on the 1st of December in Busan, South Korea.
A draft text released on Sunday revealed continued division between the majority of countries calling for binding global rules across the full plastics lifecycle and a smaller number of countries opposing such measures.
While the date and place for INC-5.2 have not yet been announced, governments now face a pivotal choice: settle for a treaty with universal support but little impact, or champion an ambitious agreement that enforces global rules across the full lifecycle of plastics, supported by comprehensive financing and a just transition — the clear preference of the majority of governments, businesses, and citizens.
The clock is now ticking for governments to make a decisive choice at the next negotiating session in 2025. It’s encouraging to see such a strong majority of countries supporting global rules across the plastics lifecycle.
We urge them to hold on to their ambition and agree to an impactful treaty that sets the global rules that business needs to unlock solutions at scale to end plastic pollution. - Rob Opsomer, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Executive Lead on Plastics & Finance
An ambitious treaty provides a real chance to prevent plastic waste from being created in the first place. To do that, it must restrict or phase out problematic and avoidable plastic products and keep virgin plastic production at sustainable levels. It is encouraging to see an unprecedented level of unified support for such key elements.
This moment is bigger than plastic pollution. In a time of great division, governments ought to seize this opportunity to show that the world can meet global challenges with global solutions.
