Talks aimed at a global treaty to cut plastic pollution fizzled in Geneva this week, with no agreement to meaningfully reduce the harms to human health and the environment that come with the millions of tons of plastic water bottles, food containers and packaging produced today. Though as many as 100 countries sought caps on production, powerful oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia and the United States stood against them. They argued the caps were unnecessary and a threat to their economies and industries. That means any progress continues to depend on efforts to improve recycling, reuse and product design — the very things that powerful nations argued were sufficient to address the problem without resorting to production cuts. Here’s what to know about how successful those efforts have been. Just how big is the problem? The world makes more than 400 million tons of new plastic each year, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates that could increase by about 70% by 2040 without meaningful change. A great deal of that ends up in landfills or, worse, the environment. Pollution isn't the only problem. Plastics, made almost entirely from fossil fuels, are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Plastics generated 3.4% — or 1.8 billion tons — of planet-warming emissions across the globe in 2019, the United Nations says. So, how effective has recycling been so far? Not very. It's notoriously difficult to recycle plastics; only 6% of what's made gets recycled, according to the OECD. That's largely because different kinds of plastic cannot be recycled together. They have different chemical compositions, making it costly and time-consuming, and requiring a lot of manual sorting. “There are many different colors of plastics, many different types of plastics called polymers, and 16,000 to 17,000 different chemicals used to make plastics, so by design, plastics are not easily recyclable," said Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics, an organization that works to cut plastic pollution. Experts say plastic is different from materials like paper, cardboard, metal and glass, which all get reused at much higher rates. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates glass recycling at about 31%, and things like steel cans at about 71%. As much as 64% of paper and 74% of cardboard get recycled, according to the American Forest & Paper Association. But “If you just think of your own home or apartment, you might have a bright orange hard plastic detergent container on top of your washing machine, and then you might have a plastic bag,” Enck said. “Those two things cannot get recycled together." What strides are being made to improve recycling? The plastics industry says innovations in material science are helping to incorporate more recycled plastics into products and enable more plastic products to be recyclable. Ross Eisenberg, president of America’s Plastic Makers, noted the need for an “all-of-the-above approach.” He said this also includes upgrading recycling infrastructure or improving sorting to capture more used plastics. This also means making recycling more accessible and helping consumers know what can and can’t go in the recycling bin. But there are a lot of limitations to this. Depending on consumers for accurate pre-sorting is a lot to ask. And cities may hesitate to make costly infrastructure improvements to their recycling programs if there is little financial incentive or market for the recycled material. "Local recycling facilities, or markets for the recycled material, don’t always exist. Where the collection and processing infrastructure does exist, the recycling plants are essentially plastic production facilities, with the same air, water, and soil pollution problems that are harmful to local residents," said Holly Kaufman, director of The Plastics & Climate Project and senior fellow at World Resources Institute. Further, mechanical recycling mixes used plastic with new plastic, and the addition of more chemicals. It also requires other steps that shed much smaller plasticparticles into the environment. Plastics recycling also usually requires plastic that's never been recycled before — called virgin plastic — as used plastic is weak, Kaufman said. “It does not make much of a dent.” California is currently suing oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil, alleging deception about the possibilities of plastic recycling. Because of this, Kaufman says, “The aim should be to significantly reduce plastic production, use, and waste, not recycle more.” What about reusing and redesigning plastics? “Reuse means creating packaging or products designed to be used multiple times, like refillable containers, or more durable zippered bags that can be washed and refilled many times, extending their lifespan and reducing waste,” Eisenberg, of America's Plastic Makers, said. Experts say reuse is extremely important, but reusable products shouldn’t necessarily be used for consumables because of the risk of microplastics. Redesigning plastic often means making it easier to recycle. That can be using one material in packaging instead of several, or printing labels directly onto a container rather than using a separate one that is glued on, but that is more complex. Alternatives to plastics could also be made out of sustainable, less harmful and even regenerative materials, such as seaweed, Kaufman said. There has been progress on this front, but most solutions have not scaled up yet. ___ Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org. ___ Read more of AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit Mexico in September to meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, a senior official familiar with the matter said Friday. The meeting comes as America's neighbors deal with U.S. tariffs and prepare for a review of the free trade deal between the three countries next year. The official confirmed the visit on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Carney sent his foreign minister as well as his finance minister to meet with Sheinbaum earlier this month in a bid to diversity trade. They also met a large group of Canadian and Mexican business leaders, including key players supporting North America’s integrated economy, trade infrastructure and supply chains. Sheinbaum visited Canada during the G7 summit in Alberta in June. Goods that comply with the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that U.S. President Donald Trump negotiated during his first term are excluded from the U.S. tariffs. But Trump has some sector-specific tariffs, known as 232 tariffs, that are having an impact. There is a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum imports and a 25% tariff on auto imports. Mexico is Canada’s third largest trading partner after the U.S. and China. Canada was Mexico’s fifth-largest trading partner in 2024.

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — The European Union on Thursday called on China to revoke sanctions imposed on two Lithuanian banks, arguing there is no justification for them. Beijing announced the measures this week against Urbo Bank and Mano Bank in retaliation for EU penalties on two Chinese lenders. The Lithuanian banks do not operate in China, giving Beijing’s move a largely symbolic character. Nonetheless, the tit-for-tat measures underscore deepening tensions between the EU and China over Beijing's support for Russia in its war on Ukraine. In this case, China targeted banks from an EU member with whom diplomatic ties have been particularly strained due to Lithuania's relationship with Taiwan. At EU headquarters in Brussels, European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill defended the bloc’s sanctions on Chinese banks. China “must respect the problems we have identified,” Gill said. “Our sanctions are the centerpiece of our efforts to minimize the effectiveness of the Russian war machine.” He said the Commission does not believe that the Chinese countermeasures “have any justification or are evidence based, and therefore we call on China to remove them even now.” The EU’s latest Russia sanctions package, adopted in July and effective August 9, included Heihe Rural Commercial Bank and Heilongjiang Suifenhe Rural Commercial Bank. The bloc accused them of providing crypto-asset services that help Moscow evade restrictions. In explaining its sanctions on the Lithuanian banks, the Chinese Ministry said the EU sanctions on Chinese firms had "a serious negative impact on China-EU economic and trade relations and financial cooperation.” The banks and the government in Lithuania said the sanctions were not expected but would likely have little practical impact. “According to the preliminary assessment, this decision will not have a significant impact on either the country’s financial system or the activities of the banks themselves, since the business models of the mentioned banks are focused on the local market,” the Bank of Lithuania said on Wednesday in a statement. Marius Arlauskas, the head of administration of Urbo Bank, said: “Since we do not have any business partnerships with Chinese individuals or legal entities, the sanctions will have no impact on the activities of Urbo Bank and the implementation of prudential regulations." The Baltic nation has drawn China’s ire for years. Beijing expelled Lithuania’s ambassador in 2021 in response to Lithuania allowing Taiwan to open a liaison office in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and prohibits other countries from having formal ties with Taipei. Taiwan has long sought closer relations with the Baltic states, citing their past experiences under authoritarian rule and embrace of multiparty democracy and liberal values. In 2024 Lithuania expelled Chinese diplomats after a Chinese ship came under suspicion during an investigation into the severing of two undersea data cables. One runs under the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Sweden. ___ McNeil reported from Brussels.

BERLIN (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump was “very clear” in a meeting Wednesday with European leaders that the U.S. wants to achieve a ceasefire at the summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, French President Emmanuel Macron said. Speaking after the virtual meeting between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders, Macron said Trump was prioritizing a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. He added that Trump had been clear that “territorial issues relating to Ukraine ... will only be negotiated by the Ukrainian president.” Following his meeting Friday with the Russian leader, Trump will also “seek a future trilateral meeting” — one involving Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy, Macron said. “I think that’s a very important point in this regard. And we hope that it can be held in Europe, in a neutral country that is acceptable to all parties,” Macron said. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the meeting with Zelenskyy and Trump as “constructive." Speaking alongside Zelenskyy, Merz said after the videoconference that “important decisions” could be made in Anchorage, but stressed that “fundamental European and Ukrainian security interests must be protected” at the meeting. Merz convened the virtual meetings in an attempt to make sure European and Ukraine’s leaders are heard ahead of the summit, where Trump and Putin are expected to discuss a path toward ending Moscow's war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy and the Europeans have been sidelined from that summit. German government spokesperson Steffen Meyer said the intention of Wednesday's meetings was to “make clear the position of the Europeans.” Zelenskyy was scheduled to have a virtual call with Trump and Vice President JD Vance later in the day. A call among leaders of countries involved in the “coalition of the willing” — those who are prepared to help police any future peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv — will also take place. The Ukrainian leader on Wednesday said his government has had over 30 conversations with partners ahead of the summit in Alaska, but reiterated his doubt that Putin would negotiate in good faith. Writing on his official Telegram channel, Zelenskyy said there was “currently no sign that the Russians are preparing to end the war,” and urged Ukraine's partners in the United States and Europe to coordinate efforts and "force Russia to peace.” "Pressure must be applied on Russia for an honest peace. We must take the experience of Ukraine and our partners to prevent deception by Russia,” Zelenskyy said. The stakes for Europe Trump has said he wants to see whether Putin is serious about ending the war, now in its fourth year, describing Friday's summit as "a feel-out meeting” where he can assess the Russian leader's intentions. Yet Trump has disappointed allies in Europe by saying Ukraine will have to give up some Russian-held territory. He has also said Russia must accept land swaps, although it was unclear what Putin might be expected to surrender. European allies have pushed for Ukraine’s involvement in any peace talks, fearful that discussions that exclude Kyiv could otherwise favor Moscow. Trump on Monday ducked repeated chances to say that he would push for Zelenskyy to take part in his discussions with Putin, and was dismissive of Zelenskyy and his need to be part of an effort to seek peace. Trump said that following Friday's summit, a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders could be arranged, or that it could also be a meeting with “Putin and Zelenskyy and me.” The Europeans and Ukraine are wary that Putin, who has waged the biggest land war in Europe since 1945 and used Russia’s energy might to try to intimidate the European Union, might secure favorable concessions and set the outlines of a peace deal without them. The overarching fear of many European countries is that Putin will set his sights on one of them next if he wins in Ukraine. Land concessions a non-starter for Kyiv Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region that it still controls as part of a ceasefire deal, a proposal the leader categorically rejected. Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would not give up any territory it controls, saying that would be unconstitutional and would serve only as a springboard for a future Russian invasion. He said diplomatic discussions led by the U.S. focusing on ending the war have not addressed key Ukrainian demands, including security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression and including Europe in negotiations. Three weeks after Trump returned to office, his administration took the leverage of Ukraine’s NATO membership off the table — something that Putin has demanded — and signaled that the EU and Ukraine must handle security in Europe now while America focuses its attention elsewhere. Senior EU officials believe that Trump may be satisfied with simply securing a ceasefire in Ukraine, and is probably more interested in broader U.S. geostrategic interests and great power politics, aiming to ramp up business with Russia and rehabilitate Putin. Russian advances in Donbas Russian forces on the ground in Ukraine have been closing in on a key territorial grab around the city of Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donbas region comprises Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland that Putin has long coveted. Military analysts using open-source information to monitor the battles have said Ukraine's ability to fend off those advances could be critical: Losing Pokrovsk would hand Russia an important victory ahead of the summit and could complicate Ukrainian supply lines to the Donetsk region, where the Kremlin has focused the bulk of military efforts. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces struck an oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk region overnight on Wednesday, according to a statement from Ukraine’s General Staff. Ukrainian drones struck the Unecha station which supplies the Russian army, the statement said, adding that damage and a large fire was reported in the area around the pumping station. Unecha transports oil to two pipelines with an annual capacity to pump 60 million tons. The operation was carried out by units of the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine’s army and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry, the statement said. ___ Cook reported from Brussels. Associated Press writer Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine contributed. ___ Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel is in discussions with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the war-torn East African country, part of a wider effort by Israel to facilitate mass emigration from the territory left in ruins by its 22-month offensive against Hamas. Six people familiar with the matter confirmed the talks to The Associated Press. It's unclear how far the talks have advanced, but if implemented, the plans would amount to transferring people from one war-ravaged land at risk of famine to another, and raise human rights concerns. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he wants to realize U.S. President Donald Trump's vision of relocating much of Gaza’s population through what Netanyahu refers to as “voluntary migration.” Israel has floated similar resettlement proposals with other African nations. Palestinians, rights groups, and much of the international community have rejected the proposals as a blueprint for forcible expulsion in violation of international law. For South Sudan, such a deal could help it build closer ties to Israel, now the almost unchallenged military power in the Middle East. It is also a potential inroad to Trump, who broached the idea of resettling Gaza's population in February but appears to have backed away in recent months. Israel's Foreign Ministry declined to comment and South Sudan's foreign minister did not respond to questions about the talks. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said it doesn't comment on private diplomatic conversations. Egypt opposes proposals to resettle Palestinians out of Gaza Joe Szlavik, the founder of a U.S. lobbying firm working with South Sudan, said he was briefed by South Sudanese officials on the talks. He said an Israeli delegation plans to visit the country to look into the possibility of setting up camps for Palestinians there. No known date has been set for the visit. Israel did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the visit. Szlavik said Israel would likely pay for makeshift camps. Edmund Yakani, who heads a South Sudanese civil society group, said he had also spoken to South Sudanese officials about the talks. Four additional officials with knowledge of the discussions confirmed talks were taking place on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss them publicly. Two of the officials, both from Egypt, told AP they've known for months about Israel's efforts to find a country to accept Palestinians, including its contact with South Sudan. They said they've been lobbying South Sudan against taking the Palestinians. Egypt is deeply opposed to plans to transfer Palestinians out of Gaza, with which it shares a border, fearing an influx of refugees into its own territory. The AP previously reported on similar talks initiated by Israel and the U.S. with Sudan and Somalia, countries that are also grappling with war and hunger, and the breakaway region of Somalia known as Somaliland. The status of those discussions is not known. ‘Cash-strapped South Sudan needs any ally’ Szlavik, who’s been hired by South Sudan to improve its relations with the United States, said the U.S. is aware of the discussions with Israel but is not directly involved. South Sudan wants the Trump administration to lift a travel ban on the country and remove sanctions from some South Sudanese elites, said Szlavik. It has already accepted eight individuals swept up in the administration's mass deportations, in what may have been an effort to curry favor. The Trump administration has pressured a number of countries to help facilitate deportations. “Cash-strapped South Sudan needs any ally, financial gain and diplomatic security it can get,” said Peter Martell, a journalist and author of a book about the country, “First Raise a Flag.” Israel's Mossad spy agency provided aid to the South Sudanese during their decades-long civil war against the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum ahead of independence in 2011, according to the book. The State Department, asked if there was any quid pro quo with South Sudan, said decisions on the issuing of visas are made “in a way that prioritizes upholding the highest standards for U.S. national security, public safety, and the enforcement of our immigration laws.” From one hunger-stricken conflict zone to another Many Palestinians might want to leave Gaza, at least temporarily, to escape the war and a hunger crisis bordering on famine. But they have roundly rejected any permanent resettlement from what they see as an integral part of their national homeland. They fear that Israel will never allow them to return, and that a mass departure would allow it to annex Gaza and reestablish Jewish settlements there, as called for by far-right ministers in the Israeli government. Still, even those Palestinians who want to leave are unlikely to take their chances in South Sudan, among the world's most unstable and conflict-ridden countries. South Sudan has struggled to recover from a civil war that broke out after independence, and which killed nearly 400,000 people and plunged pockets of the country into famine. The oil-rich country is plagued by corruption and relies on international aid to help feed its 11 million people – a challenge that has only grown since the Trump administration made sweeping cuts to foreign assistance. A peace deal reached seven years ago has been fragile and incomplete, and the threat of war returned when the main opposition leader was placed under house arrest this year. Palestinians in particular could find themselves unwelcome. The long war for independence from Sudan pitted the mostly Christian and animist south against the predominantly Arab and Muslim north. Yakani, of the civil society group, said South Sudanese would need to know who is coming and how long they plan to stay, or there could be hostilities due to the “historical issues with Muslims and Arabs.” “South Sudan should not become a dumping ground for people,” he said. “And it should not accept to take people as negotiating chips to improve relations.” ___ Associated Press reporters Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Matthew Lee in Washington, D.C. and Samy Magdy in Cairo, Egypt, contributed ___ Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Officials from Jordan, Syria and the U.S. on Tuesday discussed ways of supporting war-torn Syria’s reconstruction on the basis of improving security after deadly clashes last month. The meeting in Amman between the foreign ministers of Jordan and Syria and U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack came after talks were held by the same sides on July 18. Those discussions focused on a ceasefire that ended days of clashes between pro-government gunmen and fighters from the country’s Druze minority in Sweida province that borders Jordan, leaving hundreds of people dead. In addition to the security challenges that Syria still faces since the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in December, the country faces major economic and social challenges. In 2017, the United Nations estimated that it would cost at least $250 billion to rebuild Syria after years of civil war. Some experts now say that number could reach at least $400 billion. Over the past few months, several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others pledged investments worth billions of dollars to rebuild Syria's infrastructure. In neighboring Iraq, Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir discussed with Iraqi counterpart Hayan abdel-Ghani the possibility of reactivating an oil pipeline between the oil-rich northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk and Syria's coastal town of Baniyas, which is home to one of the country’s two oil refineries. Syrian state news agency SANA quoted al-Bashir as saying that Syria imports 3 million barrels of oil a month in addition to its own production to cover local consumption. Abdel-Ghani said that the two countries can study whether it is possible to reactivate the oil pipeline that suffered wide damage during wars in both countries or build a new one, according to SANA. Before the war broke out in 2011, the oil sector was a pillar of Syria’s economy, with the country producing about 380,000 barrels a day, and exports — mostly to Europe — bringing in more than $3 billion in 2010. Since then, the sector has suffered widely.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Argentine President Javier Milei is helping to launch a $1 million initiative to improve diplomatic relations between Israel and several Latin American countries at a time when Israel is facing intense international criticism over its operations in Gaza. The Isaac Accords, funded by money from the Genesis Prize that Milei received two months ago in Jerusalem, will increase ties between Israel, Uruguay, Panama and Costa Rica, according to the Genesis Prize announcement on Tuesday. Argentina, under Milei, already has solid ties with Israel. His posture stands in contrast to most of Latin America — where Bolivia and Colombia have severed ties with Israel and other countries have recalled their ambassadors. The new initiative’s name is a nod to the Abraham Accords, which recognized bilateral relations between Israel and several Arab states starting in 2020, during U.S. President Donald Trump’s first administration. In 2026, the Isaac Accords plans to expand to Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and possibly El Salvador, according to the organizers, the American Friends of the Isaac Accords. Milei was awarded the Genesis Prize in Jerusalem on June 12 in recognition of his support for Israel, especially when many countries and international organizations, including the United Nations, have condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza. Milei is among the greatest supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government when it comes to world leaders, as Israel faces growing isolation over its bombardment and invasion of Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. Although born and raised Roman Catholic, Milei has increasingly shown public interest in Judaism and even expressed intentions to convert.