Dec 02, (V7N) - The UN's environment chief, Inger Andersen, defended the outcome of recent negotiations on a landmark plastic pollution treaty, despite the talks in Busan, South Korea, failing to reach an agreement. She emphasized that significant progress had been made, and described the two-year timeline for finalizing the deal as highly ambitious. Andersen pointed out that the negotiations had produced a streamlined treaty draft, which represented a positive step forward, even though deep divisions remained between countries.

The treaty negotiations aimed to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis, with countries seeking to set binding targets for reducing plastic production and phasing out harmful chemicals and single-use plastics. However, the talks hit a major obstacle when oil-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, rejected proposals to address plastic production, which is closely tied to fossil fuel extraction. These countries insisted that the focus should remain solely on managing plastic waste rather than limiting production.

Despite these setbacks, Andersen celebrated the progress made in refining the treaty draft and expressed hope that future negotiations could bridge the remaining gaps. However, environmental groups warned that continuing negotiations without resolving key issues could lead to more deadlock. Andersen acknowledged that "significant conversations" were still needed but expressed confidence that a path forward could be found.

No date has been set for resumed talks, but Andersen remains committed to securing a deal in 2025, highlighting the urgency of addressing the massive global plastic pollution problem.

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