Tokyo to host int'l conference on plastic pollution in March
Japan is planning to hold and mediate an unofficial international conference in Tokyo in March to draft a treaty to minimize plastic pollution, Qazinform News Agency cites Kyodo.
The talks are slated to run for three days from March 1 and are expected to draw around 15 countries and regions, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union.
Previous intergovernmental talks aimed at securing an agreement on a draft treaty by the end of 2024 ran aground as participants failed to reach a consensus on manufacturing regulations.
The move is intended to explore possible compromises ahead of formal negotiations involving about 180 countries.
International cooperation on the matter has become harder as the United States, under President Donald Trump, has withdrawn from the framework tackling global warming, putting Japan's diplomatic skills to the test, the source said.
Plastic waste is a major environmental issue, polluting rivers and oceans, and creates serious health risks as microplastics enter the bodies of wildlife and humans.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan and UNEP bolster ties ahead of Astana environmental summit.