An environmental activist calls for a strong global plastics treaty outside the venue of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution in Busan, Sunday. AP-Yonhap

A debate on plastic pollution, held in Busan by United Nations members, ended without significant progress, as participating nations failed to reach an agreement on the highly contentious issue of reducing plastic output.

Originally slated to end on Sunday, the negotiations for the fifth round of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) on plastic pollution extended beyond the deadline, running until 3 a.m. on Monday. Despite persistent efforts until the final hours, delegates ultimately postponed further discussions until next year, as oil-producing countries largely opposed imposing limits on plastic production.

Under the goal of establishing a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution, five rounds of negotiations have been held since March 2022.

The key issues revolve around whether to regulate the production of plastics and primary plastic polymers — raw materials derived from fossil fuels — and the phaseout of harmful plastics and chemicals.

China, the world's largest plastic producer, has adopted a more forward-looking stance than anticipated. However, oil-producing nations, such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, have staunchly opposed any production regulations. Saudi Arabia reportedly drew a "red line," firmly rejecting the inclusion of production regulations in the treaty. Russia, on the other hand, called for discussions to focus on provisions that are universally acceptable to all countries.

Sam Adu-Kumi, left, lead negotiator for Ghana, speaks during a press conference as Alejandra Parra, Zero Waste and Plastics Advisor, GAIA Latin America and the Caribbean, listens at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution in Busan, Sunday. AP-Yonhap

During the final plenary session held around 9 p.m. on Sunday, INC-5 Chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso acknowledged that several contentious issues remained, preventing full consensus, despite progress on some text agreements.

Speaking at the session, Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul emphasized the importance of persevering toward creating a legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution. He highlighted that the chair's latest draft would serve as a solid foundation for future negotiations.

"We have built a strong foundation for further convergence among countries. This is something we should all take pride in. Numbers speak for themselves. Through the course of intense negotiation and compromise, we reduced a compilation text that ran over 70 pages into 20-some pages," Cho said. "Let us remain steadfast in our resolve to create a world free of plastic pollution, ensuring a healthier planet for generations to come."

No agreement on regulating plastic production

Environmental experts noted that, given the divergent national interests surrounding plastics, few expected a treaty to be finalized during this session. They pointed out that the failure to even reach a non-binding agreement highlights the stark divide between plastic-producing and plastic-consuming nations, casting doubt on the prospects for future negotiations.

"The biggest issue of contention in this negotiation was whether to regulate plastic production," Beetsnara Han, director at Research Institute for Climate and Society, told The Korea Times, Monday.

"When we think of plastic pollution, many people tend to focus on improper waste disposal and inadequate recycling as the primary concerns. However, the production phase is where the highest levels of pollutants are emitted throughout the plastic lifecycle. Given that plastics are derived from petroleum and natural gas, it is difficult to tackle plastic pollution without reducing plastic production," Han said.

"Countries advocating for strong measures in the plastic treaty proposed a 40 percent reduction in production by 2040 compared to 2025 levels. However, plastic-producing countries strongly opposed production regulations, ultimately leading to the collapse of the negotiations," she explained, adding that urgent actions, such as reducing consumption and promoting recycling, must be taken.

"If we continue with only discussions and negotiations, we may run out of time," she said.

Delegates attend a press conference at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution in Busan, Sunday. AP-Yonhap

Other experts have criticized Korea's role as the host country of the session, pointing to its lack of international leadership.

"Throughout the negotiation process, the Korean government failed to take a proactive lead in presenting clear and ambitious positions," Solutions for Our Climate, an environmental think tank, stated. "Most importantly, the Korean government did not take a clear stance on reducing plastic production and continued to focus only on waste management and recycling, adopting a passive approach."

In fact, ahead of the INC-5, the Korean government did not participate in the "Bridge to Busan" initiative, which called for regulating primary plastic polymers, led by island nations and African countries. Furthermore, Korea did not sign a global support statement for reduction targets, which was endorsed by over 100 countries, including Panama, on the fourth day of the negotiations.

It was only at the very end of the negotiations that Korea signed the Host Country Alliance (HCA+) statement, which called for the inclusion of provisions to reduce plastic production to sustainable levels.

However, the Ministry of Environment assessed the INC-5 on Monday, saying that "significant consultations were held on issues such as plastic product design, waste management, and ways to enhance the implementation and effectiveness of the treaty."

The INC-5 session was attended by government delegations from 178 U.N. member countries, 31 international organizations, stakeholders from industries, society, as well as academia, totaling about 3,000 participants. Based on the progress made during the fifth round, participating countries agreed to hold an additional negotiation session in 2025 (INC-5.2).

The INC was established in 2022 under a U.N. resolution to develop a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, with the goal of ending plastic pollution by 2040.