Hope of breakthrough at international plastic treaty talks after two-year deadlock

Important shift' made in global attempts to address plastic pollution though final treaty text yet to be agreed

Pressure from an increasingly large bloc of countries has offered hope that a breakthrough at critical international plastic treaty talks could be in sight at last, after two years of deadlock. But some warned that fragile progress could disappear again in the last stages of negotiations over the weekend.

For some time, the talks have been split over demands for the treaty to include plans to reduce the amount of plastic that is being produced - a production cap. A draft text for a final deal published on Friday included language for a global target to reduce the amount of plastic made. But it also included another option for no text - meaning no action would be taken to reduce plastic production worldwide. The final text, which may use either of those options, will hopefully be decided this weekend.