GENEVA, Feb 8, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Countries on Saturday elected Chile's COP climate summit chief negotiator to drive forward stalled talks on striking a landmark global treaty tackling the scourge of plastic pollution. Career diplomat Julio Cordano was elected by countries meeting in Geneva following a drawn-out battle. "Plastic pollution is a planetary problem that affects everyone: every country, every community and every individual," he said after being elected. The plastic pollution problem is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks and in the oceans' deepest trench. The talks process has been taking decisions by consensus -- which has proved impossible to find, with tiny island states drowning in foreign marine plastic and oil-producing countries pulling in opposite directions.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha February 08, 2026 02:37 UTC