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The international community’s efforts in tackling the global plastics crisis have reached a pivotal moment, leading up to the fifth and last scheduled intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-5) to take place in Busan, South Korea starting on November 25. If countries agree to an international framework to reduce the production and consumption of plastics, the world could finally begin to put an end to the ubiquitous impacts of plastics that are present everywhere, from the highest mountain summits to the deepest ocean valleys, and in human blood veins.
All eyes are on Busan, as critical questions on production reduction, phasing out hazardous chemicals, and a financial mechanism for treaty implementation still remain unanswered, despite two years of negotiations. Strong commitment for plastic reduction has been at the center of the contention, and it will be the instrumental key to the success of the negotiations.
South Korea holds a unique position as one of the earliest members of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution (HAC) and as the host nation of the fifth INC. The country has the fifth largest crude oil refining capacity, and is the fourth largest ethylene producer as well as one of the biggest producers and consumers of single-use plastic in the world. Given this complex set of interests, South Korea has maintained an ambiguous stance on production reduction in the negotiations. The country has not signed the “Bridge to Busan” declaration that calls for achieving sustainable levels of production of primary plastic polymers, signed by over 40 countries. Domestically, the Korean government has voiced its concerns about the potential impacts of the global plastics treaty in weakening industrial competitiveness, causing frustration to communities and the public, who deserve a treaty that can address the root cause of the global plastic pollution crisis.
South Korea has constantly emphasized downstream approaches inside and outside of the official negotiation space, such as waste management technology, recycling, and alternative materials including so-called bioplastics. Seoul’s promotion of “innovations” enabled by the private sector, and its intention to expand green official development assistance (ODA) to “share Korea’s innovative waste management technologies,” raised concerns among civil society organizations in South Korea. Much of these worries come from the waste policy and practices being pushed by the government in the name of “circularity,” including “waste-to-energy” incineration and “plastic-to-fuel” technologies such as pyrolysis and gasification, and waste burning in cement kilns. In addition to the plans for building out these polluting waste-burning technologies nationwide, the private sector, in some cases in partnership with the South Korean Ministry of Environment, has been exporting incineration and pyrolysis facilities to China, Turkiye, Russia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
In response, domestic and international civil society, united under Uproot Plastics (a coalition organized by civil society groups based in South Korea to “root out” plastic problems), has been calling on the Korean government to take firm actions to support a strong global plastics treaty. Since February 2024, the groups have organized a public forum, various dialogues with the Ministry of Environment, and press conferences to urge the government to own up to its responsibility befitting its role as the host nation of the negotiations. The key messages were centered around how South Korea must express its clear support for reducing plastic production as the first step toward addressing plastic pollution, to prevent the global plastics treaty from being reduced to merely a waste management-focused treaty as pushed by oil-producing nations and their supporters.
Fortunately, there are clear signs of a silver lining. As a member of the HAC, Korea endorsed the ministerial statement for the fourth INC that underscored the polluter pays principle and the importance of legally binding provisions to limit the production and consumption of primary plastic polymers to sustainable levels. INC-4 also affirmed that the global plastics treaty should be in line with the goals of existing multilateral environmental agreements such as the Paris Agreement. This pledge for reduction of primary plastic polymers was reaffirmed by the ministerial statement for INC-5 endorsed by 66 members of the HAC.
On November 4, South Korea’s Minister of Environment Kim Wan-seop showed commitment to lead the way toward reducing plastic production during the INC-5 for the first time, at a press briefing marking the 100th day since the minister took office. He stated that production reduction must come before plastic waste recycling, noting that the plastic pollution problem will not be solved without plastic reduction. With this timely statement made just three weeks ahead of the INC-5, now is high time for South Korea to endorse the Bridge to Busan declaration and take a strong stance to defend the global mandate and targets for plastic production reduction at the upcoming negotiations.
Despite threats coming from a few plastic-producing countries, South Korea can be a game-changer at INC-5 by taking leadership as a major polymer producer, a HAC member, and an INC host. There are uplifting success stories and ample opportunities for growth in South Korea’s reuse initiatives as well, which can inspire other nations to replace single-use plastics with reusables in restaurants and cafes, and to introduce reusables for food delivery, large-scale events including festivals, sports games, and funerals, etc.
Citizens will continue to keenly watch the negotiation processes. The whole world is looking at the South Korean government to exercise its influence as the host country of the fifth meeting. Seoul must demonstrate leadership in pushing strong language on production reduction and reuse for a strong global plastics treaty that protects the future of the planet from toxic pollution.
The “Uproot Plastics” is a collaborative effort based in South Korea, involving 16 domestic and international environmental organizations. These include Action for a Carcinogen-free Korea, Almang Market, Break Free From Plastic (BFFP), Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Green Environment Youth Korea (GEYK), Green Korea United (GKU), Greenpeace Korea, Korea Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEM), Korea Zerowaste Movement Network, Korean Women’s Environmental Network (KWEN), National Council of the Green Consumers Network in Korea, Our Sea of East Asia Network (OSEAN), RELOOP, Seoul Korea Federation for Environmental Movements (Seoul KFEM), Wonjin Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health (WIOEH), and Zero Waste Citizen Center. The coalition is working together by attending INC sessions, hosting forums, running public campaigns, and holding press conferences in support of an ambitious global plastics treaty.