Global plastic talks collapse as oil states rebel

Two years of negotiations to reduce global plastic production have collapsed amid a split between countries.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersGlobal plastic talks collapse as oil states rebelGetty ImagesMore than nine billion tonnes of plastic has been produced globally with less than 10% recycledCountries have failed to reach a landmark agreement on tackling plastic pollution after more than two years of negotiations.

More than 200 nations met in South Korea for what was meant to be a final round of talks.

But deep divisions remained between a group of nearly 100 "high ambition" countries calling for plastic to be phased out and oil-producing nations who warned this would affect the world's development.

"The objective of this treaty is to end plastic pollution not plastic itself, plastic has brought immense benefit to societies worldwide," said the Kuwait negotiators in the final hours.

In 2022, the world's nations agreed that a global treaty was needed to tackle the issue of plastic pollution particularly the impacts on the marine environment - and this should be completed within two years given the urgency of the issue.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c785l1nrpd1o

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