There is widespread coverage of the latest failure of talks to agree the world's first legally binding treaty to tackle plastic pollution.

GRID PRESSURES: Iraq suffered a “near nationwide blackout” as elevated power demand – due to extreme temperatures of around 50C – triggered a transmission line failure, Bloomberg reported.

Wildfires “fanned by a heatwave and strong winds wreaked destruction across southern Europe”, burning homes and forcing evacuations, reports Reuters.

Carbon Brief handpicks and explains the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight.

Extreme heat fanning deadly wildfires in Europe has killed at least three people and caused thousands more to evacuate, the Guardian reports.