Negotiators aim to reconvene the talks next year. Observers say oil-producing nations led by Saudi Arabia and Russia had frustrated attempts to forge a legally binding deal, while UNEP describes global commitment to ending plastic plastic pollution as “clear and undeniable”.

Delegates from more than 170 countries attempting to negotiate a treaty to curb global plastic pollution ended a weeklong meeting in Busan early Monday without an agreement, pushing talks to another session next year.

Global talks to forge a landmark treaty aimed at reducing plastic pollution broke down after negotiators from more than 170 countries remained deadlocked over how to curb the world’s growing mountain of plastic waste.

Countries negotiating a global treaty to curb plastic pollution have failed to reach agreement, with more than 100 nations wanting to cap production while a handful of oil-producers were prepared only to target plastic waste.

The UN summit on plastic pollution has ended without formal consensus, despite widespread support for ambitious measures. The summit, held in Busan, South Korea, was marked by calls for a globally binding treaty to address plastic pollution across its entire life cycle.