Plastic pollution treaty talks stuck in 'dialogue of the deaf'

GENEVA, Aug 07 (AFP): Negotiations aimed at forging a global treaty on plastic pollution are being blocked by oil-producing countries and getting bogged down in a "dialogue of the deaf", sources in and around the talks told AFP.

Ten days of talks on finalising an international, legally-binding instrument on plastic pollution opened on Tuesday with sunny optimism from the moderators that a deal could be done to tackle the scourge of plastic rubbish and microplastics trashing the planet.

But by Thursday, after countries had staked out their positions, the mood had darkened, sources in the negotiating rooms said.

"We are in a dialogue of the deaf, with very few landing zones... I don't see progress," said a diplomatic source from a country in the so-called "ambitious" coalition of nations pushing for a strong treaty, including plastic production reduction targets.