The worldwide campaign against the global plastic pollution crisis has reached an essential turning point, with the final intergovernmental negotiation committee (INC-5) slated to convene in Busan, South Korea on November 25. This meeting could mark the beginning of the end for the pervasive plastic pollution, provided the nations agree to a universal blueprint to curtail plastic production and usage. Plastic waste is a universal issue, affecting everything from the highest mountain peaks to the deepest ocean trenches, and even infiltrating our bloodstream.
The upcoming conference in Busan is under global scrutiny, as crucial issues like production reduction, elimination of hazardous chemicals, and funding mechanisms for treaty enactment have yet to be resolved, despite two years of discussion. A strong commitment to reducing plastic is the main point of contention, and it will be a key determinant for the success of these negotiations.
South Korea is in a unique position as one of the first members of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution (HAC), and as the host of the fifth INC. It has the fifth largest capacity for crude oil refining, is the fourth largest producer of ethylene, and ranks among the top producers and consumers of single-use plastic globally. However, South Korea’s stance on production reduction has been equivocal. The country has yet to sign the “Bridge to Busan” declaration, which advocates for sustainable production levels of primary plastic polymers and has been signed by over 40 countries. Locally, the government has voiced concerns about the potential impact of the global plastics treaty on industrial competitiveness, causing concern among the public who expect a treaty that tackles the root cause of the plastic pollution crisis.
South Korea has consistently promoted downstream strategies such as waste management technology, recycling, and alternative materials like bioplastics, both within and outside official negotiation circles. However, the government’s focus on “innovations” offered by the private sector and its plans to expand green official development assistance (ODA) to share its innovative waste management technologies have raised eyebrows among local civil society organizations. Some of these concerns stem from the waste policies and practices being promoted by the government under the guise of “circularity,” such as “waste-to-energy” incineration and “plastic-to-fuel” technologies like pyrolysis and gasification, and waste burning in cement kilns.
In a united effort, domestic and international civil society, under the banner of Uproot Plastics (a coalition organized by South Korean-based civil society groups to eradicate plastic problems), have been urging the Korean government to take decisive action to support a robust global plastics treaty. The key messages have centered around South Korea expressing clear support for reducing plastic production as the first step toward addressing plastic pollution, to prevent the global plastics treaty from being sidelined as merely a waste management-focused treaty as proposed by oil-producing nations and their allies.
Fortunately, there are indications of positive change. As a HAC member, Korea endorsed a ministerial statement for the fourth INC emphasizing the polluter pays principle and the importance of legally binding provisions to limit the production and consumption of primary plastic polymers to sustainable levels. This commitment was reaffirmed by 66 HAC members during the fifth INC.
On November 4, South Korea’s Minister of Environment Kim Wan-seop expressed a commitment to take the lead in reducing plastic production during the INC-5 for the first time. He stated that production reduction must precede plastic waste recycling, noting that the plastic pollution problem will not be solved without plastic reduction. Given this timely statement made just three weeks ahead of the INC-5, now is the time for South Korea to endorse the Bridge to Busan declaration and take a strong stance to uphold the global mandate and targets for plastic production reduction at the upcoming negotiations.
Despite opposition from a few plastic-producing countries, South Korea has the potential to play a decisive role at INC-5 by taking the lead as a major polymer producer, a HAC member, and an INC host. South Korea’s successful reuse initiatives provide ample opportunities for growth, which can inspire other nations to replace single-use plastics with reusables in various contexts.
The world is watching the negotiation processes closely. As the host of the fifth meeting, South Korea must demonstrate leadership by promoting strong language on production reduction and reuse for a robust global plastics treaty that protects the planet’s future from toxic pollution.
The “Uproot Plastics” is a joint initiative based in South Korea, involving 16 domestic and international environmental organizations. The coalition is collaborating by attending INC sessions, hosting forums, running public campaigns, and holding press conferences in support of an ambitious global plastics treaty.
