Negotiators fail to finalize plastic pollution treaty in South Korea, talks to continue next year

Negotiators in Busan, South Korea, failed to reach an agreement on a treaty to combat plastic pollution. The talks, intended to finalize a legally binding treaty by the end of 2024, will resume next year. Disagreements remain over key issues, including limits on plastic production and controls on toxic chemicals. Some countries opposed changing the decision-making process to allow voting if consensus could not be reached. The draft treaty still contains multiple options for critical sections, leading some delegates to express concerns about its effectiveness. African negotiators indicated they would prefer no treaty over a weakened one.