Negotiations for a United Nations treaty to tackle plastic pollution concluded in Geneva without a finalized agreement, delegates confirmed Friday. Representatives from Norway, India and Uruguay all reported the absence of consensus on the latest proposed draft. Disagreements surrounding the future production of plastics were identified as a key sticking point throughout the talks.
The negotiations revealed a clear divide between two primary groups of nations. Oil-producing states, alongside a coalition of other countries, positioned themselves against representatives from the European Union and Latin American nations, as well as environmental advocacy groups. Originally scheduled to conclude on Thursday, discussions were extended into Friday in a bid to bridge the gap. These talks followed a previous round of unsuccessful negotiations held in Busan, South Korea, last December, which was intended to be the final session for reaching an agreement.
The chair of the talks, Luis Vayas Valdivieso and multiple delegations confirmed the lack of unified consensus. Concerns began to surface late Thursday evening when Valdivieso adjourned the discussions shortly before midnight, leading to initial confusion amongst delegates unsure if the talks would resume overnight. Criticism of Valdivieso’s handling of the process accumulated, with some delegates voicing dissatisfaction with the draft text presented on Wednesday, which they characterized as lacking ambition.