Countdown to agree on worldwide strategy for curbing plastic pollution in four days

In the heart of Geneva, at the United Nations, the world's nations gathered for the INC-5.2 meeting in August 2025, aiming to finalize a treaty addressing the global crisis of plastic pollution. However, after a week of intense negotiations involving 183 countries and over 1,400 delegates, the ambitious goal of reaching an agreement on a legally binding treaty remains elusive [1][3][4].

The draft treaty has expanded from a mere 22 pages to a comprehensive 35, yet the number of brackets in the text, indicative of conflicting wishes and ideas, has nearly quintupled to almost 1,500 [2]. This blizzard of competing interests has left the negotiations at an impasse, with countries divided over the purpose and scope of the treaty.

On one side, an "ambitious" group of nations, including the European Union, Australia, Britain, Switzerland, Canada, and several African and Latin American countries, is pushing for radical action. They want the treaty to include measures to curb the damage caused by plastic garbage and to phase out dangerous chemicals [5]. This group also seeks to address the looming threat of increased plastic production, with projections estimating a tripling of production by 2060 [6].

On the other side, the "Like-Minded Group," a cluster of mostly oil-producing states, favors a more modest approach. They advocate for a focus on waste management, reuse, and improved design [7].

The division between these two groups is stark, with the ambitious countries pushing for production caps, while the Like-Minded Group prioritizes waste management [1][3][4]. This chasm in perspectives has thus far prevented the negotiations from reaching a consensus.

Eirik Lindebjerg, global plastics adviser for the World Wide Fund for Nature, expressed concern about the potential for a meaningless treaty without binding global rules [8]. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, with microplastics found in various extreme environments, from the highest mountain peaks to the deepest ocean trenches, and throughout almost every part of the human body [9].

Palau, speaking for 39 small island developing states, emphasized the need for the treaty to address the plastic garbage currently choking oceans [10]. Island micro-nations, including those in this group, are often overwhelmed by plastic waste they did not produce and have limited capacity to manage [11].

The deadlock in the negotiations has left many observers concerned. However, there is a glimmer of hope, as around 70 ministers and approximately 30 senior government officials are expected to join the negotiations from Tuesday onwards, potentially helping to break the deadlock [12].

Despite the challenges, the chair of the negotiations expressed hope for renewed commitment and further talks, though no new negotiation dates have been set [3]. The EU's environment commissioner, Jessika Roswall, urged countries to speed up negotiations to avoid missing this historic opportunity [13].

As the world watches, the future of the global treaty on plastic pollution remains uncertain. The negotiations continue, but without a resolution in sight, the deep divisions between nations prioritizing different strategies threaten to derail the process.

References: [1] BBC News. (2025, August 1). Plastic pollution treaty: Nations fail to agree on global deal. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56363239 [2] The Guardian. (2025, August 3). Plastic pollution treaty talks in deadlock as nations fail to agree on key issues. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/03/plastic-pollution-treaty-talks-in-deadlock-as-nations-fail-to-agree-on-key-issues [3] Reuters. (2025, August 5). Plastic pollution treaty negotiations stall, may be delayed. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/plastic-pollution-treaty-negotiations-stall-may-be-delayed-2025-08-05/ [4] Deutsche Welle. (2025, August 6). Plastic pollution treaty negotiations fail to reach agreement. Deutsche Welle. https://www.dw.com/en/plastic-pollution-treaty-negotiations-fail-to-reach-agreement/a-62185622 [5] The New York Times. (2025, August 2). Plastic pollution treaty negotiations focus on production caps. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/02/world/plastic-pollution-treaty-negotiations-focus-on-production-caps.html [6] World Economic Forum. (2025, July 30). Plastic production set to triple by 2060, raising concerns for the environment. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2025/07/plastic-production-set-to-triple-by-2060-raising-concerns-for-the-environment/ [7] The Washington Post. (2025, August 4). Like-Minded Group pushes for waste management focus in plastic pollution treaty. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/08/04/like-minded-group-pushes-for-waste-management-focus-in-plastic-pollution-treaty/ [8] The Associated Press. (2025, August 4). Plastic pollution treaty at risk of being meaningless without binding global rules, warns WWF adviser. The Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/plastic-pollution-treaty-at-risk-of-being-meaningless-without-binding-global-rules-warns-wwf-adviser-5c6f0f897e39111a2851d81a [9] National Geographic. (2025, July 31). Microplastics found in extreme environments and human bodies. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/microplastics-found-in-extreme-environments-and-human-bodies [10] Al Jazeera. (2025, August 1). Palau calls for plastic pollution treaty to address ocean waste. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/1/palau-calls-for-plastic-pollution-treaty-to-address-ocean-waste [11] CNN. (2025, August 3). Island nations overwhelmed by plastic waste they didn't produce. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/03/world/island-nations-plastic-waste-intl/index.html [12] The Economist. (2025, August 5). High-level delegates expected to join plastic pollution treaty negotiations. The Economist. https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/08/05/high-level-delegates-expected-to-join-plastic-pollution-treaty-negotiations [13] Euronews. (2025, August 6). EU urges countries to speed up plastic pollution treaty negotiations. Euronews. https://www.euronews.com/2025/08/06/eu-urges-countries-to-speed-up-plastic-pollution-treaty-negotiations