REM: UN plastic pollution talks collapse as volume of waste escalates

The failure of recent global talks in Busan, South Korea, to produce a landmark treaty to combat plastic pollution, has underscored the complexities and challenges of addressing one of the planet’s most pressing environmental and climate issues.

Delegates from more than 170 countries were unable to reconcile sharply divided opinions on how to tackle the escalating plastic crisis, with negotiations breaking down after a week of intensive discussions.

Despite months of preparation and a two-year process aimed at crafting a binding agreement, countries remain at an impasse, unable to agree on whether the focus should be on curbing plastic production or improving waste management.

The talks were seen as a pivotal moment in the global effort to reduce plastic waste, which has surged to unsustainable levels. The world currently produces over 450mn tonnes of plastic annually, primarily from fossil fuels. Nearly 350mn tonnes of this becomes waste, of which less than 10% is recycled.

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