No global plastics treaty but what can countries do to address pollution crisis?
Measures to ban single-use plastics, taxation and increasing manufacturer responsibility have limited success, especially in developing countries.
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Governments failed to reach an agreement on Monday for a global UN treaty to curb plastic pollution in Busan, South Korea, after proposals to cap its production were rejected by a handful of oil-producing nations.
Producing plastics, from Barbie dolls to water bottles, generates large amounts of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, while the accumulation of plastic products in the environment pollutes land and oceans.
Negotiations began in 2022 over a UN treaty that aimed to create the world’s first legally binding agreement on plastic pollution by the end of 2024 – a deadline which will now be missed after the fifth round of talks ended without a deal.
More than 100 countries supported a proposal to reduce plastic production, the most divisive issue in the talks, while petrochemical-producing nations like Saudi Arabia were only prepared to agree on a deal tackling plastic waste.
Plastic production is set to triple by 2050 and could account for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to 5% in 2019, according to a report earlier this year by the US federal Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
So, what environmental impacts are caused by plastic, and how can countries address the issue?
Why is plastic a problem
Around the world, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, according to the OECD, which predicts that global plastic waste is on track...
