Greenpeace reported on Sunday that its activists were detained by South Korean police after boarding a tanker to highlight the urgent need for a treaty aimed at curbing plastic pollution.
"They have been charged with trespassing and interfering with business operations," stated Graham Forbes, the organization's delegation head at the talks in Busan, where countries have limited time left to finalize a significant agreement.
The four activists, comprising British, German, Taiwanese, and Mexican nationals, boarded the vessel off the South Korean coast on Saturday. Greenpeace noted that their action lasted for 12 hours.
Nearly 200 nations are currently negotiating in Busan, but some delegations are pushing for an extension of the talks, accusing a few nations of hindering a comprehensive agreement.
"We hope that the bravery demonstrated by these activists, who endured freezing temperatures overnight to clearly state that this treaty will fail unless it reduces plastic production, will inspire the delegates," Forbes said.
"We urge the South Korean authorities to release the activists immediately," he added.
On Saturday, Greenpeace revealed that the tanker Buena Alba, anchored near the Hanwha TotalEnergies complex, was set to load propylene, a material used in plastic manufacturing. The environmental group stated that its activists had peacefully boarded the vessel and painted "PLASTIC KILLS" on its side before establishing a camp.
A spokesperson for Wooil Shipping, the Korean company managing the vessel, informed AFP on Saturday that "we have been unable to load any cargo all day."
The debate over whether to limit new plastic production has been a critical issue during the week-long negotiations in Busan. Numerous countries, supported by environmental groups, argue that a treaty without production cuts will not effectively address the problem. However, a coalition of predominantly oil-producing states is strongly against such measures.
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