By Samantha Linda
Talks to come up with a global treaty to stop plastic pollution concluded in Geneva, Switzerland without an agreement.
Despite the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meeting for ten days to finalize on the legally binding deal, they could not agree on key issues.
The primary points of contention were plastic design, dangerous chemicals, production limits, and how to pay pollution prevention efforts. The negotiations were halted, but the countries agreed to restart them later.
The goal of INC-5.2 was to agree on the instrument’s text and highlight unresolved issues requiring further preparatory work ahead of a diplomatic conference. The session followed a structured approach—starting with an opening plenary, transitioning into four contact groups tackling key areas like plastic design, chemicals of concern, production caps, finance, and compliance, followed by a stocktake plenary, informal consultations, and ending with a closing plenary on 15 August.
Inger Andersen, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, said the outcome was disappointing but stressed that the fight is not over. “Plastic pollution is everywhere – in our soil, our rivers, our oceans, and even in our bodies,” she said, warning that waste could triple by 2060 if nothing changes.
The chair of the talks, Ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso from Ecuador, told delegates not to lose hope, noting that the failure should encourage countries to commit even more strongly to reaching a final agreement in the future.
Civil society groups, including young people, waste pickers, and artists, also played a big role in the Geneva talks through protests and creative campaigns. They reminded world leaders that plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue but also a health and economic problem that affects everyone.
The negotiations have been ongoing since 2022, at the resumed fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), when a historic resolution was adopted to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
The Geneva session follows earlier meetings held in Uruguay, France, Kenya, Canada, and South Korea. Although Geneva ended without consensus, the process continues, and there is still hope that the world will one day agree on a strong treaty to end plastic pollution.
