Global treaty talks on plastic pollution kick off in South Korea

The article highlights a critical meeting in South Korea where representatives from 175 countries are gathering to negotiate a worldwide treaty aimed at curbing plastic pollution. The talks, which opened on Monday, follow a chaotic conclusion to the COP29 climate talks in Baku, where a diplomat described the plastic pollution issue as an "existential challenge" that humanity must rise to meet. The treaty, which is seen as a significant multilateral environmental deal since the 2015 Paris climate accord, aims to rapidly reduce the surging plastic pollution problem.