Three reasons plastic pollution treaty talks ended in disagreement and deadlock (but not collapse)

By Steve Fletcher, Professor of Ocean Policy and Economy, University of Portsmouth
Antaya March, Director - Global Plastics Policy Centre, University of Portsmouth

The latest round of negotiations for a UN global plastics treaty has ended without a deal. After more than three years of talks, deep divisions remain. Agreement is only marginally closer than before talks began. For many countries, campaigners and observer organisations, the outcome is deeply disappointing.

After the final intense meetings which went through the night in Geneva, the chair of the intergovernmental negotiating committee that…

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