UN plastic treaty talks end without a deal

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🗞️ Driving the news: UN negotiations for a landmark Global Plastics Treaty ended without agreement in Busan, South Korea, as nations clashed over limiting plastic production, phasing out harmful plastics, and funding mechanisms
• Oil-rich countries, led by Saudi Arabia, resisted measures to reduce production, prioritizing economic ties to fossil fuel-based materials
• Talks will resume in 2024, with no date set

🔭 The context: The treaty, envisioned as a global solution to plastic pollution, has been in development since 2022, aiming for a legally binding agreement by 2024
• Plastic production is projected to nearly triple by 2050, with significant impacts on biodiversity and human health from microplastics
• While over 100 countries supported production cuts, others, including Iran and Russia, obstructed progress, emphasizing consensus decision-making

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Plastic pollution contributes to marine degradation, health crises, and increased carbon emissions
• Without intervention, emissions from plastics could consume one-fifth of the Earth’s remaining carbon budget by 2050
• A strong treaty is vital to addressing both the root causes and the consequences of the plastic pollution crisis

⏭️ What's next: Future negotiations must resolve production limits, tackle harmful plastics, and establish financing strategies
• Observers advocate moving away from consensus-based decision-making to prevent a minority of nations from stalling progress
• Nations like Panama pledge continued advocacy for an ambitious treaty addressing the full life cycle of plastics

💬 One quote: “What we saw in Busan was a weaponization of consensus by a small number of countries to stall progress and undermine the negotiations,” — David Azoulay, Center for International Environmental Law

📈 One stat: Global emissions from plastic production could triple by 2050, consuming up to 20% of the Earth’s carbon budget

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