Battle over curbing plastic output jeopardizes UN treaty hopes 

Talks risk collapse without consensus on treaty scope Oil-producing nations oppose production caps, focus on waste Plastic production on track to triple by 2050 ‘Nobody is going to leave with a weak treaty’ – Fiji Climate Minister   BUSAN, South Korea, Dec 1 (Reuters) – Doubts rose on sealing a global treaty to curb plastic pollution on the last day of scheduled talks, as Read More …

Climate Action Network Zimbabwe Coordinator Fumes Over COP29 Outcome

Wellington Madumira, Coordinator for Climate Action Network Zimbabwe (CAN-Zimbabwe)Wellington Madumira, Coordinator for Climate Action Network Zimbabwe (CAN-Zimbabwe) said that the COP29 summit, hosted by Azerbaijan, is seen as a failure and a global embarrassment, as wealthy countries, with the facilitation of the COP President, dodged their climate obligations, while the planet continues to suffer. Madumira said that Baku will also Read More …

Showdown Looms On Plastic Treaty Days Before Deadline 

Diplomats warned Friday of a looming showdown in negotiations to reach the world’s first deal to curb plastic pollution, after a new draft text emerged littered with competing visions and ongoing disagreements.  With just two days of talks left, countries seeking an ambitious treaty urged delegations that “have not moved a centimetre” to make compromises or “get out of the Read More …

Associated Press 

U.N. Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen: “We can solve this and we must get it done in Busan.”  Chris Jahn, International Council of Chemical Associations: “To continue to progress and grow as a global economy, there are going to be more plastics.”  Dennis Clare, legal advisor and plastics negotiator for Micronesia: “We think it’s the heart of the treaty, Read More …

‘We are not fooled’: Civil society issues letter to Developed Countries

Overnight in Baku, civil society organizations have hand-delivered two letters about the latest disgraceful draft text regarding the climate finance goal – one to the developed countries, calling them out, and one to the G77+China, supporting them in rejecting the current text. Please see the embargoed press release below, along with photos.  Embargo 0500 Baku time, 23 November 2024 ‘We are not Read More …

[ipen-plastic] Korean Press: Treaty May be “Declaratory Agreement”

“…China, which had been aligned with the oil producers, made it clear in writing that it wanted to use both the [non-]paper and the draft as the basis for negotiations. In particular, China has reportedly indicated that it is willing to accept the language in the [non-]paper on regulating the production of primary plastic polymers (plastic raw materials derived from Read More …

Fifth UN plastics treaty talks mired in division as halfway point approaches 

SEOUL, Nov 27 (Reuters) – A fifth round of talks aimed at securing an international treaty to curb plastic pollution had seen slow progress as the halfway point approaches, delegates said on Wednesday, fuelling doubts that a deal can be reached by a Dec. 1 deadline.  South Korea is hosting the fifth and final U.N. Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) meeting Read More …

Plastics News is an industry trade press publication 

Ross Eisenberg, president of America’s Plastics Makers, a unit of the American Chemistry Council: “[the US proposal] would create a process to regulate chemicals via the plastics agreement using a global list of chemicals based on open-ended criteria and a vague decision-making process.” John Hocevar, oceans campaign director for Greenpeace USA: “We can’t make a whole lot of progress in Read More …