In late November, delegates from more than 170 countries gathered in Busan, Republic of Korea, with the goal of finalizing a global plastics treaty. On December 1, they walked away from the gathering — the fifth session of the United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) — empty handed, as talks failed over contentious issues, particularly whether to impose caps on plastic production.
A plastic pollution treaty has been in the works since 2022. Talks will resume next year. Photo by Dustin Woodhouse.
The treaty, which has been in the works since 2022, aims to tackle the pressing global problem of plastic pollution, which permeates every corner of the globe, from the highest mountains to the deepest oceans. Made from fossil fuels and toxic additives, plastic poses a significant and growing threat to human health, wildlife, natural places, and the climate.
“Plastic pollutes throughout its existence, and a strong globally binding treaty is critical for a healthy future for humanity,” Dianna Cohen, co-founder and CEO of Earth Island’s Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC), said. “While we are disappointed with the outcome of INC-5, we remain hopeful and are very inspired by the growing collaboration and efforts of a majority of ambitious countries.”
PPC mobilized for the talks in Busan alongside other environmental groups, Indigenous peoples, and scientists, advocating for a treaty that targets the root causes of plastic pollution by capping plastic production over false solutions like plastic “recycling.” Advocates emphasized the necessity of a treaty that includes meaningful production caps, toxic chemical regulation, and an equitable financial mechanism to support the Global South nations disproportionately affected by the plastics crisis.
But they were met with strong resistance from the fossil fuel and chemical lobbyists who flooded the negotiations and from petrostates. While the session drew a record turnout of 3,300 delegates, those included 220 industry lobbyists, the highest number to attend an INC session so far, surpassing the number of scientists and Indigenous people there combined. Alarmingly, 17 lobbyists were embedded within national delegations, including those from China, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Finland, Iran, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Peru, emboldening a minority of nations to block progress. Closed-door negotiations further excluded observers, including those from Indigenous groups and environmental organizations, limiting opportunities for voices of civil society to be heard.
The United States, for its part, advocated for a “flexible” approach to the issue — one that essentially enables countries to maintain business as usual.
Despite these challenges, Indigenous people, youth activists, and frontline allies rallied in Busan to uphold protections for human health and human rights. For example, more than 1,500 people marched in Busan on November 23 in support of a robust and equitable treaty, and Greenpeace protestors boarded a petrochemical tanker preparing to load plastic chemicals at a South Korean refinery complex to draw attention to the cause.
Ambitious nations also coalesced. Over 100 countries supported Panama’s proposal for a treaty that would set a global target to reduce plastic production, and a rallying call from Rwanda on the closing day inspired hundreds of government and observer attendees to “stand up for ambition.” These countries held the line, prioritizing a strong treaty in the near future over a weak agreement now.
“Plastics are poison,” Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, lead negotiator for Panama, said in a statement at INC-5. “Every piece that we allow to produce without limits, is a direct assault against our health, our nature, and our children. For those blocking progress, you are allowing this crisis to fester.
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The fight is far from over. Talks will resume in 2025, and PPC and allies continue to call on the US government to adopt a stronger position in the treaty negotiations. “We will keep pushing for a treaty that caps plastic production and prioritizes health, centers frontline and fenceline communities, acknowledges the rights of Indigenous peoples and rights holders, restricts problematic plastic products and chemicals of concern, and supports non-toxic reuse systems,” Cohen said.
The work won’t be easy: While necessary to protect the planet and human health, there will likely be even less support for a strong and legally binding global treaty by the incoming US administration. The good news is that the talks in Busan demonstrated that more and more countries are willing to be bold and tell the world to get on board with what UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen called a “once-in-a-planet opportunity” for a treaty that will end the plastics age once and for all.
Take action: Sign PPC’s petition urging the US to take a stronger stance on the Global Plastics Treaty. And sign up for the upcoming PPC webinar: Policy Matters: Tracking Plastic Laws After Global Treaty Negotiations on December 12, for a discussion with legislative, advocacy, and media experts.
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