In a statement, French Minister for Ecological Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher lamented the failure of the negotiations in Geneva, where irreconcilable differences continued in recent hours after 11 days of a forum that attracted 185 nations.

“A handful of countries, guided by short-term financial interests and not by the health of their populations and economic sustainability, blocked the adoption of an ambitious treaty against plastic pollution,” she denounced in the text circulated here.

Several oil-producing nations oppose limiting production, supporting only measures aimed at addressing pollution and recycling issues.

France believes this position was the obstacle that led to the lack of consensus in Geneva on a worrying issue, as happened last year at the meeting in South Korea.

According to specialized sources, without control, plastic production will rise from 430 million tons in 2020 to more than 735 million tons in 2040, a 70% increase assumed to be devastating for human health and the environment, as less than 10% can be recycled.

One of the major concerns is the pollution of the oceans with plastic, due to its impact on the food chain and marine ecosystems.

abo/arm/otf/wmr