Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations: A Defining Moment in the Fight Against Plastic Pollution
From 4 to 14 August 2025, the United Nations resumed negotiations on a global, legally binding plastics treaty. The goal is to reduce plastic pollution throughout the entire lifecycle of plastics, from production and consumption to waste management and disposal.
Towards Global Regulation of Plastic Pollution
The political process for a global plastics treaty began in 2022 when the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a resolution calling for an international agreement to tackle plastic pollution.
Since then, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) has been working to develop a legally binding treaty aimed at addressing plastic waste and marine plastic pollution on a global scale.
The objective is clear: to establish an international framework capable of reducing the growing environmental impact of plastic pollution in oceans, rivers, and ecosystems worldwide.
INC Negotiations: Progress and Remaining Challenges
Several rounds of negotiations have taken place since the process began. The most recent major session, INC-5 in Busan, South Korea, produced the first consolidated elements of a potential treaty text.
These discussions included proposals on:
Reducing global plastic production
Tackling problematic single-use plastics
Restricting hazardous chemical additives used in plastics
These elements now serve as the foundation for further negotiations in Geneva.
Key Issues Under Discussion in Geneva
Despite progress, several critical questions remain unresolved:
Should the treaty regulate the entire lifecycle of plastics, including production?
Or should it focus primarily on end-of-life waste management?
How ambitious should global targets for reducing plastic production be?
More than 70 ministers and over 3,000 participants from governments, NGOs, academia, and industry attended the Geneva negotiations, making them one of the largest meetings in the treaty process so far.
While many countries, including EU member states, Germany, Panama, and Mexico, are advocating for ambitious measures, several major oil-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia, continue to oppose stricter production-related commitments.
Why a Global Plastics Treaty Matters
The rapid growth of plastic production and pollution has significant consequences for the environment, climate, and human health.
A large proportion of plastic waste is not recycled. Instead, it is landfilled, incinerated, or leaks into the environment before eventually reaching rivers and oceans.
A strong global plastics treaty is widely seen as a key tool for:
Reducing marine plastic pollution
Preventing microplastic contamination
Strengthening circular economy systems worldwide
Limiting the production of virgin plastic
Without coordinated international action, the scale of plastic pollution is expected to continue increasing.
INC-5.2 in Geneva: Shaping the Future of Plastics
The Geneva negotiations, often referred to as INC-5.2, highlight the remaining differences between countries.
Particularly contentious topics include:
Global limits on plastic production
Restrictions on hazardous chemicals in plastics
The level of legal obligations countries should adopt
The outcome of these discussions is widely regarded as a crucial step toward a final treaty text.
everwave and the Global Plastics Treaty
As a member of the Innovation Alliance for a Global Plastics Treaty, everwave supports the development of a strong, effective, and globally binding agreement.
From our perspective, an effective treaty must tackle plastic pollution at its source. This includes:
Preventing unnecessary plastic use
Reducing overall plastic production
Expanding effective waste management infrastructure
Strengthening circular economy solutions
Only by addressing the root causes of plastic pollution can we prevent waste from entering rivers, oceans, and the wider environment in the first place.
Conclusion
The ongoing UN negotiations represent a historic opportunity to establish a global framework for tackling plastic pollution. While significant disagreements remain, the discussions demonstrate growing international recognition that plastic pollution is a global problem requiring global solutions.
The decisions made during these negotiations could play a defining role in shaping how plastics are produced, used, and managed for decades to come. A strong treaty has the potential to reduce pollution, support circular economy systems, and help protect rivers, oceans, and ecosystems worldwide.