Tensions Rise at UN as Petroleum Nations Push Back on Plastic Pollution Initiatives

At a United Nations conference in Busan, South Korea, over 170 nations are gathering to formulate agreements aimed at combating plastic pollution. However, the efforts face significant resistance from Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil producer, which is advocating against measures to limit plastic production and phase out chemicals deemed harmful. José Ramón Reyes López, a delegate from the Dominican Republic, expressed frustration with the disruption caused by procedural objections from Saudi Arabia, labeling such actions as "unacceptable."

The production of plastic, primarily derived from petroleum, has escalated to nearly half a billion tons annually, with a mere 9% of this waste being recycled. Significantly, scientists warn that one garbage truck's worth of plastic ends up in the oceans each minute. As electric vehicles diminish fuel demand, oil-exporting nations like Saudi Arabia view plastic production as increasingly important to their economic strategies.

Amid these tensions, over 100 countries, including those in the petroleum sector such as Canada and Norway, are working towards setting global targets for reducing plastic output. Developing nations, led by Rwanda, which previously banned single-use plastics, are at the forefront of these efforts. Some nations are contemplating the need to pursue negotiations outside UN frameworks to overcome the roadblocks presented by oil-producing countries, while others are advocating for compromises that could dilute the effectiveness of proposed measures against plastic pollution.