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BUSAN, South Korea (CHATNEWSTV) — Delegates from around the world have gathered in Busan for the final round of negotiations aimed at crafting a global agreement to combat plastic pollution. The high-stakes talks come amid growing concerns over the escalating environmental and health impacts of plastic waste.
Norway’s Minister of International Development, Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, is attending the final stretch of negotiations.
“Plastic pollution is a growing global problem. We find plastic in nature, in rivers, in the ocean, and microplastics in the human body,” Tvinnereim said. “Norway will work for a binding global agreement to reverse this trend.”
The negotiations, which began earlier this week, have revealed deep divisions among countries on how best to tackle the problem. Some nations are advocating for a voluntary approach, allowing each country to set its own targets for reducing plastic production and consumption. In contrast, Norway and a coalition of ambitious countries are pushing for a legally binding agreement that would enforce restrictions on certain plastic products and ban harmful additives.
“The situation is serious and heading in the wrong direction. If countries fail to act, plastic pollution is projected to nearly double by 2040 compared to 2020,” Tvinnereim warned. “Norway will do everything it can to secure a strong and binding agreement.”
A key issue expected to dominate discussions is the financial burden of reducing plastic waste, especially for poorer nations that face the most severe impacts. Developing countries are calling for increased financial support from wealthier nations to help them manage plastic pollution and adopt more sustainable practices.
The negotiations in Busan are expected to build on previous international climate and environmental summits, where similar demands for financial assistance were raised. Norway has been a leader in the negotiations since the fifth UN Environment Assembly in 2022, where a resolution to establish an international plastic pollution agreement was adopted.
Norway, alongside Rwanda, has spearheaded the High Ambition Coalition, advocating for a strong and enforceable international framework to curb plastic pollution. The coalition, which recently expanded to 68 member countries with Fiji joining, aims to ensure that the agreement includes binding measures. These would cover everything from reducing overall plastic production to eliminating specific harmful substances in plastic products.
“Norway has played an active role in these negotiations from the beginning,” Tvinnereim noted, highlighting the country’s continued efforts to push for stringent global standards.
Concluding the Negotiations
The talks, which began earlier this week, are set to conclude on Sunday, December 1. The outcome will determine the shape of the global strategy to combat plastic pollution for years to come. Norway’s delegation remains committed to securing an agreement that goes beyond voluntary targets and establishes concrete, enforceable measures to reverse the current trends in plastic pollution.
