Delegates from around 20 countries will hold three days of informal talks in Japan starting Sunday, aimed at salvaging efforts for a landmark global treaty on plastic pollution. Supposedly final talks in South Korea in 2024 failed, and a renewed effort in Geneva last August collapsed in overtime. A Japanese Environment Ministry official said the informal closed-door meeting among working-level officials through Tuesday is not expected to result in any official announcement.
Efforts to address plastic pollution internationally are gaining renewed momentum. Starting Sunday, delegates from around 20 countries will convene in Japan for three days of informal, closed-door talks to explore paths toward a landmark global treaty on plastic pollution. This follows the failure of supposedly final talks in South Korea in 2024 and the collapse in overtime of a renewed effort in Geneva last August.
A Japanese Environment Ministry official emphasized that this meeting among working-level officials is not expected to produce any official announcement. The participating nations aim to discuss concrete frameworks for reducing plastic pollution, though reaching agreement remains challenging. The Environment Ministry views such informal talks as potentially laying the groundwork for future official negotiations.
Previous international efforts have sought to curb marine pollution and ecological damage from plastic waste, but no agreement has been achieved. The talks in Japan represent a key step toward breaking this impasse.
