Overview

• Draft text in Geneva has ballooned to 35 pages with nearly 1,500 bracketed reservations, underscoring deep divisions among delegates.
• Conference President Luis Vayas Valdivieso warned that progress falls far short of expectations with the fixed August 14 deadline approaching.
• The Kuwait-led oil producer bloc rejects binding limits on virgin plastic output and pushes to concentrate on waste management and recycling.
• Members of the High Ambition Coalition insist the treaty must address the full life cycle of plastics to tackle microplastic contamination and secure financing for developing nations.
• Ministerial and vice-ministerial meetings involving more than 70 countries are scheduled for August 12–13 to bridge divides and consider setting aside irreconcilable text.