Divided over plastic: Countries wrangle over production limits at Busan summit

Negotiations on a treaty to tackle plastic pollution were set to conclude Sunday (December 1), but nations remain divided over whether to impose limits on plastic production.

Delegates met behind closed doors on Saturday (November 30) to hammer out details, but a draft treaty released Sunday afternoon leaves key issues unresolved. Among the most contentious points is whether to include a provision to cap plastic production. The draft proposes compromises, such as setting targets at a future conference or dropping the idea entirely.

Global plastic production exceeds 400 million tons annually and could rise by 70 per cent by 2040 without policy changes, according to environmental experts.

A growing number of countries, including the United States, support measures to limit global plastic production. However, plastic-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia and India oppose such restrictions, favouring a focus on waste management and recycling instead.

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The draft also outlines potential bans on some single-use plastics or products containing toxic chemicals. It suggests measures to improve plastic product design to reduce microplastic pollution and enhance recyclability.

Some nations criticised the draft as insufficient. Ghana’s lead negotiator, Sam Adu-Kumi, called it heavy on voluntary measures and lacking enforceable commitments.

He said the draft is full of voluntary measures that won’t end plastic pollution but the world needs a treaty that imposes obligations on all parties.

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Delegates from countries including Panama, Fiji, France, Rwanda, and the European Union vowed to push for stronger provisions in the final hours of negotiations.

“We are already doing waste management efforts back home,” said Sivendra Michael, Fiji’s secretary for the environment and climate change. “This treaty has to be bigger than all of us. It’s about saving this planet. It’s about saving humanity. And so that’s why we are here, still having hope, pushing. And we will push right until the end, until the time we’re supposed to leave Busan.”

Consensus decision-making rules have further complicated talks. All nations must agree for a proposal to be included in the treaty, leaving no room for voting mechanisms. Critics say this effectively grants every country veto power, stalling progress.

As negotiations near their end, the treaty’s fate hinges on whether countries can overcome divisions and forge an agreement strong enough to address the global plastic pollution crisis.