Indonesia Urges Immediate Negotiations on Plastic Pollution at International Conference in Busan

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Diaz Hendropriyono, Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Environment, has called for urgent negotiations to advance the approval of an international agreement on plastic pollution, emphasizing the need for swift action to combat global plastic waste. His appeal came during the ongoing International Plastic Convention in Busan, South Korea, where he led the Indonesian delegation at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5).

The INC-5 session holds significant importance, as it could pave the way for a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution, akin to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. Hendropriyono urged immediate commencement of negotiations, stressing that the time available must be maximized to reach an effective agreement. “Indonesia believes we must start negotiations. We must maximize the time we have now to reach a good agreement in Busan,” he stated during the conference.

The session, which runs from November 25 to December 1, has seen resistance from certain oil- and gas-producing nations seeking to delay the negotiations. In response, Hendropriyono took the floor to ensure the discussions moved forward, calling on all delegations to prioritize swift negotiations.

Should the conference fail to finalize an agreement, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will be tasked with establishing a new mandate for renegotiation in the coming year.

On his social media platforms, Hendropriyono shared a meeting with UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, where Andersen highlighted Indonesia’s pivotal role in bridging the gap between countries advocating for delays and those pushing for ambitious plastic waste reduction targets. Delegates from more than 175 countries are participating in the conference, which aims to draft an internationally binding legal framework to address plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle, from production to waste management.

The outcome of the INC-5 discussions could set the course for international efforts to curb the growing environmental crisis caused by plastic pollution.