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The latest breakdown occurred after a ten-day summit at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. After nearly three years of negotiations, this was intended to be the final round of talks, following the failure of previous negotiations in Busan, South Korea.

Since 2022, the UN has hosted six rounds of talks among around 190 countries in an effort to reach an agreement to end "plastic pollution." The plastics industry currently accounts for 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and plastic production is expected to nearly triple by 2060.

Danish Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke told reporters Friday morning: "Of course it is tragic, and we cannot hide our deep disappointment at seeing some countries trying to block an agreement," referring to opposition from a group of oil states to measures aimed at reducing plastic production. Denmark participated in the talks as the current president of the EU Council.

Disagreements during the negotiations included how plastic products should be regulated globally, how binding the measures should be, the language on reducing plastic production, and the financial support mechanisms for implementing the agreement.

Civil society groups were deeply disappointed with the outcome. Since no new draft text was formally adopted, future talks will be based on the draft discussed at the December Busan negotiations.

Many are calling for abandoning the consensus-based approach, which aims to involve all countries in the process rather than putting the agreement to a vote. They argue that the veto power this process provides is effectively being used as a weapon by countries that do not want an agreement.

David Azoulay from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) told POLITICO: "This meeting showed that we cannot continue like this. It makes no sense... If we do not try to change the rules, we will get the same result."