Efforts to reach a global treaty to end plastic pollution have failed once more, as UN negotiations ran into deadlock despite continuing overnight past the deadline.
The talks, ongoing since 2022, remain divided. Around 100 countries support limiting plastic production, while oil-producing nations push for a focus on recycling instead.
Despite the benefits of plastic to almost every sector, scientists are particularly concerned about potentially toxic chemicals they contain, which can leach out as plastics break down into smaller pieces.
Scientists warn that plastic pollution threatens both human health and the environment, with microplastics now found in soil, rivers, air, and human organs.
The original goal was to finalize a treaty by the end of 2024 – a target now increasingly in doubt.
Cuba called it a “missed historic opportunity,” urging continued efforts. Palau, representing island states, criticized the lack of progress, saying they bear the brunt of a crisis they barely contribute to.
