39 h. ago World Health Organisation warning as several left dead from eye

An outbreak of a virus, sometimes dubbed the 'bleeding eye disease', has been reported with thoughts it could spread to neighbouring countries. Now an urgent warning has been released

Events

64 h. ago Major deadly virus outbreak in several countries as urgent spread warning issued

The World Health Organization has warned that the crisis is 'very high risk' and could spread further without urgent action, but has yet to issue travel restrictions

Events

2 w. ago Action needed on plastic additives linked to sperm decline, experts warn

Amid collapse of global pollution treaty, scientists highlight environmental factors causing fertility crisisAction must be taken to curb the use of plastic additives linked to plummeting sperm counts, a leading reproductive scientist has warned, as splits over chemical regulation contributed to the collapse of a crucial treaty on plastic pollution.Across the world, sperm counts have been declining at a rate of about 1% a year for the past 50 years, and human fertility has been diminishing at a similar rate, studies have shown. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Bid to reach world's first plastic pollution treaty ends in failure after 10

The consequence of the failed talks is devastating, as it leaves no clear path for nations to collectively address the mountains of plastic that are filling landfills.

Events

2 w. ago Minister ‘hugely disappointed’ as talks to agree UN plastics treaty fail

Emma Hardy said she is however ‘extremely proud’ of how UK negotiators worked tirelessly to seek an ambitious deal.

Politics

2 w. ago UN plastic pollution talks end in ‘abject failure’ as negotiators reject draft treaties

Despite three years of negotiations, delegates failed to agree on whether it should stop the growth of plastic production and regulate harmful chemicals internationally

Events

2 w. ago Plastic pollution talks fail as negotiators in Geneva reject draft treaties

Countries deadlocked on whether legally binding deal should include curbs on production and toxic chemicalsOnce again negotiators will leave the plastic summit this week without a treaty, having failed to reach agreement in what was supposed to have been the final round of talks.The delegates, who were attempting to complete a crucial treaty to end the plastic pollution crisis remain deadlocked over whether it should reduce exponential growth of plastic production and put global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago New draft of plastic pollution treaty doesn't limit production but calls for a global response

The latest draft of a treaty to end plastic pollution would not put a limit on producing plastics, but recognizes that current levels of production and consumption are “unsustainable” and global action is needed

Politics

3 w. ago Countries urged to ‘hold the line’ in Geneva plastics treaty negotiations

Talks continue amid warnings from environmental groups over being ‘sold out’ without meaningful or legally binding measuresTalks between nations to hammer out a plastics treaty to end plastic pollution continued behind closed doors in Geneva on Thursday, the final day of negotiations, as civil society groups urged countries to “hold the line” to secure a strong agreement.With time running out to seal a deal between 184 countries, environmental groups expressed concern that frontline communities, Indigenous people and others suffering the worst impacts of the world’s growing plastic crisis were being “sold out” in an effort to secure a treaty, without meaningful or legally binding measures that would address the scale of the problem, “at any cost”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Countries deadlocked on plastic production and chemicals as talks on a global treaty draw to a close

Negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic pollution are drawing to a close Thursday

Events

3 w. ago Talks stall on world’s first plastic pollution treaty one day before deadline

Almost 100 countries reject draft treaty as ‘unambitious’ and ‘inadequate’Talks on the world’s first legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution have stalled just one day before the negotiations are due to end.Some of the countries calling for an ambitious treaty to include targets to reduce plastic production, including Colombia, the EU and the UK, have rejected as “unacceptable” and “unambitious” a draft treaty text that does not include production caps, nor address chemicals used in plastic products. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago New draft of plastic pollution treaty would not limit plastic production

Negotiators working on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution are discussing a new draft of the text that would not limit plastic production or address chemicals used in plastic products

Politics

3 w. ago Soap, wristbands and scaling the UN: People get creative during final plastic pollution treaty talks

A Swiss ocean protection group is handing out bars of soap to negotiators working on a global accord to end plastic pollution

Sport

3 w. ago Plastic treaty talks nearing collapse as nations remain deadlocked on production

Environmental organisations warn that without urgent compromises the session could fail to produce a treaty capable of tackling the scale of the crisis

Events

3 w. ago Microplastics detected in Geneva during global plastics negotiations

Air sampling in the Swiss city this week detected plastic fibres and fragments in both indoor and outdoor locations, including cafés, public transport and shops

Politics

3 w. ago Groups seek to influence plastic pollution treaty talks at the UN as negotiations wind down

Environmentalists and Indigenous leaders held signs in front of the United Nations buildings in Geneva where talks for a global accord to end plastic pollution are taking place

Politics

3 w. ago Buoyant, the size of a lentil and almost impossible to recover: how nurdles are polluting the oceans

Millions of the tiny plastic pellets are being washed up on the coast of Kerala in India in the latest in a series of global spills, as plastic treaty talks continue in GenevaWhen a Liberian-flagged container ship, the MSC Elsa 3, capsized and sank 13 miles off the coast of Kerala, in India, on 25 May, a state-wide disaster was quickly declared. A long oil slick from the 184-metre vessel, which was carrying hazardous cargo, was partially tackled by aircraft-borne dispersants, while a salvage operation sealed tanks to prevent leaks.But almost three months later, a more insidious and persistent environmental catastrophe is continuing along the ecologically fragile coast of the Arabian Sea. Among the 643 containers onboard were 71,500 sacks of tiny plastic pellets known as nurdles. By July, only 7,920 were reportedly recovered. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Artist drowns sculpture in plastic waste in front of the UN during plastic pollution treaty talks

As nations began a second week of negotiations Monday for a global accord to end plastic pollution, an artist heaped piles of plastic waste onto a large sculpture in front of the United Nations office

Events

3 w. ago Plastic treaty talks overrun by fossil fuel lobbyists, campaigners say

Campaigners warn of ‘crisis of credibility’ as number of lobbyists attending plastics treaty negotiations rises

Politics

4 w. ago More than 200 lobbyists at UN’s plastic treaty talks will limit progress, campaigners warn

Environmental group says industry figures will be obstructive and aim to reduce overall ambition of meetingMore than 200 industry lobbyists are attending the UN’s meeting to hammer out a global plastics treaty, raising fears that moves to prevent runaway plastic production may be undermined.The 234 lobbyists from the oil, petrochemical and plastics industries outnumber the combined delegations of all 27 EU member states, and far exceed the number of people attending with the delegation of scientists as well as Indigenous peoples at the Geneva talks. Continue reading...

Events