Countries fail to reach an agreement on the solution to global plastic pollution.

Efforts to forge a landmark global treaty to combat plastic pollution collapsed on Friday, as deep divisions between nations proved insurmountable.

CBI News reports that delegates from 185 countries pushed past Thursday’s official deadline, working through the night in a last-ditch bid to reach consensus.

But the talks ultimately ended in deadlock, exposing sharp rifts over how to tackle the mounting crisis.

A coalition of nations had pressed for sweeping measures, including binding limits on plastic production, arguing that cutting supply at the source was essential to halting the environmental damage.

Opposing them, a smaller group of oil-producing states insisted the treaty should focus primarily on waste management and recycling, resisting any cap on production.

The breakdown marks a significant setback for both environmental protection and global diplomacy, particularly at a time when the world’s ability to cooperate on urgent issues is already under scrutiny.

Frustration and disappointment echoed through the conference halls as delegates expressed both anger and regret at the failure.

Despite six rounds of negotiations over three years ending without a deal, most countries vowed to continue pushing for an agreement in future talks though the path to consensus now looks more uncertain than ever.