Nations gathered in Busan, South Korea have per week to agree the world’s first treaty to curb plastic air pollution, a gargantuan problem given the key divisions that stay.
Here’s a have a look at the important thing sticking factors:
Consensus or majority
Divisions between nations are so deep that they haven’t but agreed on how any determination will likely be adopted — by consensus or majority vote.
Consensus is the usual for a lot of UN agreements, however it has additionally hamstrung progress on different accords, notably local weather.
To keep away from gumming up discussions, negotiations are continuing with out resolving this query.
However that creates one thing of a landmine that would detonate at any level throughout the talks, significantly if nations really feel they’re shedding floor, warned Bjorn Beeler, govt director of the Worldwide Pollution Elimination Community.
“Due to the consensus decision-making course of, the oil states may nonetheless blow up the potential remaining deal,” he instructed AFP.
Manufacturing
The decision that kicked off the talks urged a treaty that may “promote sustainable manufacturing and consumption of plastics”.
However what which means is a key level of distinction amongst negotiators.
Some nations need the treaty to mandate a discount of latest plastic manufacturing, and the phase-out of “unneccessary” objects, reminiscent of some single-use plastics.
They observe many nations already restrict objects like plastic baggage or cutlery.
However different nations, led by some oil-producing states like Russia and Saudi Arabia, have pushed again in opposition to any binding discount name.
They insist nations ought to set their very own targets.
Saudi Arabia, representing the Arab group of countries, warned in its opening assertion in opposition to “imposing inflexible and exclusionary insurance policies to handle complicated world points”.
They urged members to give attention to a treaty “that balances environmental safety with financial and social growth”.
‘Chemical compounds of concern’
The alliance of nations known as the Excessive Ambition Coalition (HAC), led by Rwanda and Norway, is pushing for particular measures on so-called chemical compounds of concern.
These are elements of plastic which might be identified or feared to be dangerous to human well being.
The HAC needs “world standards and measures” for phasing out or proscribing these chemical compounds.
However some nations additionally reject that method.
And lists are additionally firmly opposed by the chemical and petrochemical business, which factors to an array of current worldwide agreements and nationwide rules.
“A brand new world settlement to handle plastic air pollution shouldn’t duplicate these current devices and voluntary efforts,” warned the Worldwide Council of Chemical Associations.
The auto business says any broad-stroke bans may have an effect on its capacity to adjust to security rules.
Finance
Implementing any treaty will price cash that growing nations say they merely shouldn’t have.
India insists the treaty ought to clarify that compliance “shall be linked to provision of the incremental price” and backs the creation of a devoted multilateral fund for the aim.
That place could battle to achieve traction, significantly after the hard-fought battle at COP29 local weather talks to extract extra finance from developed nations.
However that’s unlikely to sway nations advocating for the funds.
Developed nations “have traditionally benefited from industrial actions associated to plastic manufacturing”, famous Saudi Arabia, talking for the Arab group.
They “bear a larger accountability in offering monetary and technical help in addition to capacity-building for growing nations”.
Globally binding or nationally decided?
Will the treaty create overarching world guidelines that bind all nations to the identical requirements, or permit particular person nations to set their very own targets and objectives?
That is prone to be one other key sticking level, with the European Union warning “a treaty by which every social gathering would do solely what they think about is critical just isn’t one thing we’re able to help”.
On the opposite facet are nations who argue that differing ranges of capability and financial progress make frequent requirements unreasonable.
“There shall not be any compliance regime,” reads language proposed for the treaty by Iran.
As an alternative, it urges an “evaluation committee” that may monitor progress however “under no circumstances” look at compliance or implementation.
