LONDON

High-level talks to reach a global treaty to combat plastic pollution ended in Geneva on Friday without an agreement following continued disagreements over whether prioritizing a phase out plastics or enhancing waste management systems.

Representatives from 185 countries did not reach an agreement at the UN on ways to combat plastic waste.

Negotiations, which began on Aug. 5 and were due to wrap up on Thursday, extended for a day on Friday and a late-night draft text were presented to negotiators, but to no avail.

Luis Vayas Valdivieso, chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution, said delegates reconvened in the assembly hall once again but no further action was being proposed at this stage on the latest draft.

He added that delegates are still in talks but have not decided on the next steps.

“We did not get where we wanted, but people want a deal. This work will not stop, because plastic pollution will not stop,” said UNEP Executive Director Andersen Inger at the close of the second part of INC5 in Geneva.

The session followed INC 5.1, which took place in from Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2024 in Busan, South Korea.

Palau, speaking for 39 small island developing states, expressed frustration at investing resources and personnel in discussions but repeatedly returning home with insufficient progress.

Representatives of Norway, Australia, Tuvalu and other countries also expressed disappointment over leaving Geneva without a treaty.

"We have missed a historic opportunity," Cuba said.

While some countries wanted to reduce plastic production and the phasing out of toxic chemicals used in plastics, others wanted to focus primarily on waste management.