Global negotiations to tackle plastic pollution resumed in Geneva on Tuesday, marking a critical moment after talks broke down last year in South Korea. Delegates from around the world have gathered for a fresh 10-day effort to finalize a legally binding UN treaty aimed at curbing the growing crisis.
Talks stalled in Busan in December when oil-producing countries blocked progress, resisting calls to cap plastic production and phase out toxic chemicals. Since then, negotiators have worked behind the scenes to salvage momentum.
UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen acknowledged the difficult road ahead but remained optimistic. “There’s been extensive diplomacy since Busan,” she said. “Will it be easy? No. But is a deal possible? Absolutely.”
Plastic pollution has become a global scourge. Microplastics have been detected from Everest’s summit to the ocean’s deepest trenches and even within human bodies. Despite an agreement in 2022 to finalize a treaty by the end of 2024, divisions remain sharp over how far-reaching the treaty should be.
On one side, countries and NGOs are calling for strict production caps and bans on harmful chemicals. Greenpeace’s Graham Forbes emphasized the need for a bold deal that slashes plastic output and supports a transition away from fossil fuel-based plastics. “We cannot let a few countries decide humanity’s future,” he said.
On the other hand, oil-producing nations argue the treaty should focus on waste management, not production cuts. The American Chemistry Council insists plastics are essential, especially for medical, safety, and clean water applications.
Ecuador’s Luis Vayas Valdivieso, who is chairing the negotiations, said lessons from Busan had been taken to heart. For the first time, civil society and NGOs will have access to the most contentious discussions, including chemical bans and production limits.
“Our positions may differ, but we share a common goal: a world free from plastic pollution,” he said.
Globally, over 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced each year, with just 9% recycled. A new study in The Lancet warns that plastic pollution is a “grave and growing danger” to health, costing the global economy at least $1.5 trillion annually.
Outside the UN building, a slowly buried sculpture ,The Thinker’s Burden, made of plastic waste by artist Benjamin Von Wong, serves as a powerful visual reminder of the mounting crisis.
As the clock ticks in Geneva, all eyes are on negotiators to see whether they can bridge the divide and finally deliver a treaty with the teeth to tackle one of the planet’s most pressing environmental threats.
