Luis Vayas, chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) and Ecuador's ambassador to the United Kingdom, presides the opening of the plenary session of the fifth session of the INC (INC-5) at BEXCO in Busan, Monday. Yonhap

BUSAN — Global attention is focused on how the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) will address the urgent issue of plastic pollution — a major contributor to climate change and biodiversity loss.

Drawing over 3,500 participants, including government delegations from 177 countries, international organizations and other stakeholders, the final round of negotiations is ongoing from Monday in Busan.

So far, the prevailing expectation is that the negotiations will conclude with a call for autonomous measures, reflecting a broad consensus on the need for sustainable plastic production and consumption.

According to the Ministry of Environment, member states acknowledge the need for sustainable production and consumption of plastics but highlight practical challenges in implementing uniform regulations and setting specific production reduction targets. Limited time and insufficient discussions are also pointed out as factors hindering progress toward concrete outcomes.

The negotiations began in gridlock as nations clashed over whether to adopt the INC chair's non-paper as the basis. The non-paper, a 17-page draft distilled from the 77-page agreement under the chair's authority, addresses critical issues such as removing harmful chemicals in plastics, addressing supply chain challenges and securing financing to combat plastic pollution. Opposition from oil-producing nations, including Kuwait, Iran and Saudi Arabia, created significant tension throughout the session.

It reached a resolution around 5:20 p.m., seven hours after discussions began, with member states agreeing to use the non-paper as the framework for the final round of talks.

Graham Forbes, a global campaign lead of Greenpeace USA, attends the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in Ottawa, Canada, in April. Courtesy of Greenpeace

Environmental organizations and activists are calling for a decisive agreement at INC-5 to tackle plastic pollution on a global scale.

Graham Forbes, a global campaign lead of Greenpeace USA, told The Korea Times that environmental and social justice organizations widely agree that reducing plastic production is the only effective solution to end plastic pollution.

"The success or failure of this treaty will depend on whether or not it reduces plastic production. We want to see an end to single-use plastics and a ban on single-use products," he said.

Forbes criticized reliance on voluntary commitments and self-regulation, drawing parallels to decades of limited progress in climate negotiations.

"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to come up with real solutions to this global crisis. A weak agreement at the INC-5 would be an absolute disaster," he said.

He also urged ambitious countries, including the United States, the European Union, Norway and host country Korea, to step up more and demonstrate stronger leadership in the negotiations. Forbes also expressed frustration with oil-producing nations that have resisted progress, accusing them of obstructing the process.

"Small handful of countries are using delay tactics to block progress, effectively holding the rest of the world hostage at the expense of public health. These delay tactics are deeply harmful," he said.

Environment Minister Kim Wan-seop speaks during a press briefing regarding INC-5 at BEXCO in Busan, Monday. Courtesy of Ministry of Environment

Meanwhile, government delegations have expressed skepticism about setting specific targets and timelines for plastic reduction, calling such measures unfeasible.

Environment Minister Kim Wan-seop highlighted Korea's stance on the negotiations, emphasizing support for a step-by-step approach to plastic regulation.

"Rather than imposing uniform measures, we believe a diverse and gradual strategy is more effective in addressing the complexities of plastic pollution," Kim said. "It's not about what's right or wrong, but the nature of these negotiations makes progress challenging when countries are so firmly divided."

He also noted that delegations suggested an annex to the chair's non-paper aimed at providing a structured framework for phasing out unnecessary plastics.

"The proposal focuses on eliminating items like single-use forks through detailed guidelines while accommodating differing perspectives and capacities across nations," Kim said.