Global Talks on Plastic Treaty End Without Agreement in Geneva
After 10 days of negotiations, global efforts to finalise a legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution ended in Geneva on Friday without a consensus on the final text. The resumed fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) drew more than 2,600 participants, including 1,400 delegates from 183 countries, nearly 1,000 observers from over 400 organisations, and about 100 high-level officials. While no agreement was reached, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) confirmed that member states agreed to resume discussions at a later date, showing a shared commitment to continue the process. The aim of the session was to agree on the treaty’s text and pinpoint unresolved issues ahead of a planned diplomatic conference. Negotiations began with a Chair’s draft from the last session in Busan and were divided into contact groups focusing on topics such as plastic design, […]