Addressing the Tide: Global Efforts Fall Short

Author

Sam Garcia
August 26, 2025

The second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) for a plastic pollution treaty concluded on August 14, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland, without reaching an agreement. The negotiations, which ran from August 5-14, were intended to finalize a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution, addressing the full lifecycle of plastics from design to disposal.

Despite tireless efforts, consensus among nations remained elusive, particularly on key issues such as whether the treaty should impose caps on new plastic production or primarily focus on waste management, reuse, and improved design. The draft text proposed by the INC Chair was reportedly considered too weak by a majority of high-ambition countries, lacking binding measures to restrict plastic production and address chemicals of concern.

Consequently, negotiations have been extended and will resume at a later date, with no specific date yet set.

Detailed Breakdown of Findings:

  • Dates and Location: The INC-5.2 negotiations took place from August 5 to 14, 2025, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Regional consultations preceded the main session on August 4, 2025.

  • Purpose of INC-5.2: The primary goal of INC-5.2 was to finalize a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution, addressing the full lifecycle of plastics from design to disposal. It aimed to agree on the instrument's text and identify unresolved issues for further preparatory work before a diplomatic conference.

  • Lack of Consensus: Despite 10 days of negotiations, no agreement was reached on stricter, enforceable rules to reduce plastic pollution. The talks adjourned early on August 15 without consensus on the text of the instrument.

  • Reasons for Failure: The failure was largely attributed to significant differences in views among member states. Key contentious issues included whether the treaty should impose caps on new plastic production or focus instead on waste management, reuse, and improved design. There was also a divide between over 100 ambitious countries and oil- and gas-producing nations, including the United States, regarding global measures versus national approaches and the economic implications of the treaty.

  • Participants: The meeting drew more than 2,600 participants, including over 1,400 member delegates from 183 countries, and nearly 1,000 observers representing over 400 organizations. Approximately 70 Ministers and Vice Ministers, along with 30 other high-level representatives, also held informal roundtables.

  • Previous Sessions: Negotiations toward a Global Plastics Treaty have been ongoing since 2022, following a resolution adopted by the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) in March 2022 (UNEA-5.2) to create a legally binding treaty. Prior sessions included INC-1 (Punta del Este, November 2022), INC-2 (Paris, May 2023), INC-3 (Nairobi, November 2023), INC-4 (Ottawa, April 2024), and INC-5.1 (Busan, November/December 2024). INC-5.1 in Busan was supposed to conclude the treaty adoption but was unable to resolve key issues.

  • Future of Negotiations: Despite the lack of agreement, member states expressed a clear desire to continue the process, and negotiations are expected to resume at a future date, though no specific date has been set. INC Chair Ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso expressed optimism, stating that the outcome should spur renewed commitment.

  • Scope of the Treaty: The proposed treaty aims to take a comprehensive, full life-cycle approach to plastic pollution, addressing it from design and production to disposal and waste management.

  • Civil Society Involvement: Civil society, including Indigenous Peoples, waste pickers, artists, young people, and scientists, actively participated in the session through protests, art installations, press briefings, and events.

  • IPEN's Role: The International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) released statements and studies at INC-5.2, highlighting toxic plastic exposures to delegates and waste workers. IPEN's Plastics Treaty Scorecard evaluated the Chair's draft treaty text from December 1, 2024, concluding that it did not go far enough to safeguard health.

  • Global Plastic Waste Projections: The urgency for a treaty is underscored by projections that global plastic waste will reach 1.7 billion metric tons by 2060, with a cumulative cost of $281 trillion by some estimates. Currently, over 460 million metric tons of plastic are produced annually, with an estimated 20 million polluting the environment.

Sources