The last scheduled round of negotiations for a UN agreement against plastic pollution in Busan (South Korea) ended on Sunday evening without a treaty. The negotiations are to be continued next year. „It is fatal that the blockade of some states has prevented the conclusion,“ said Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke afterwards. This refers to oil and gas-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia – which, according to participants, have been torpedoing efforts to reach an agreement since the start of negotiations two years ago to prevent an ambitious framework.