UN Summit on Global Plastic Treaty Fails to Reach Consensus

The UN summit in Busan intended to finalize a global treaty to curb plastic pollution concluded without consensus as key oil-producing nations blocked measures to cap production. Negotiators were unable to reconcile differences, primarily between countries advocating for aggressive limits on plastic production and those, led by Saudi Arabia, reliant on continued production. Despite support for a comprehensive treaty from over 100 nations, disagreements over key issues such as financing and targeting polluting products stalled progress, raising concerns about the future of international environmental cooperation.