Overview

• A ten-day session in Geneva ended without consensus as revised draft texts failed to secure support and plenary talks were suspended.
• Around 100 countries pushing for lifecycle controls and caps collided with petrochemical exporters, notably Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United States, which opposed binding production limits and chemical bans.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UNEP chief Inger Andersen expressed regret over the deadlock but reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the treaty process.
• Civil society leaders, including Greenpeace’s delegation head Graham Forbes, warned that continued inaction risks worsening environmental and health impacts from rising plastic production.
• Negotiators plan to form specialized working groups on plastic design, hazardous chemicals, production limits, financing and compliance to bridge divides ahead of the next round of talks.