Divisions persist as South Korea hosts final U.N. talks on plastic pollution treaty

South Korea is hosting the fifth U.N. Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) meeting in Busan this week, aiming to finalize a treaty to reduce plastic pollution. Previous talks in Ottawa in April did not produce a clear plan to limit plastic production. Delegates from 175 countries are facing divisions, particularly from petrochemical-producing nations like Saudi Arabia and China, which oppose capping plastic production. The focus has shifted to addressing harmful chemicals and other measures instead. The U.S. has recently expressed support for production caps, aligning with the EU and other nations, but uncertainty remains due to the upcoming presidential election. Meanwhile, calls for funding to help developing countries implement the treaty continue, despite industry resistance to proposed levies on plastic production.