United Nations Plastic Pollution Treaty Negotiations Update

The Negotiation Framework

The United Nations launched formal negotiations in 2022 to create the world’s first legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. Representatives from 175 countries meet through an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, aiming to address plastic throughout its lifecycle—from production to disposal.

After five major negotiating sessions across different continents over three years, talks have reached a critical juncture. The most recent session in South Korea ended without agreement, forcing negotiators to reconvene in Geneva for what many consider a final attempt to reach consensus.

Core Disagreements Blocking Progress

Production Limits vs. Waste Management

The fundamental divide separates countries into two camps. Over 100 nations, led by Norway and Rwanda, demand binding limits on plastic production and bans on toxic chemical additives, arguing that managing waste alone is insufficient.

Opposing this, major oil and plastic-producing countries—including Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, and Brazil—focus exclusively on waste management and recycling, resisting measures that cap production or restrict manufacturing processes.

Procedural Manipulation

A small group of countries has leveraged procedural rules to block progress. While majority voting is allowed when consensus fails, these nations insist that only unanimous agreement is acceptable, giving any single country veto power over the treaty.

Industry Interference

Corporate lobbying has significantly influenced negotiations. Fossil fuel and petrochemical industry representatives outnumbered independent scientists at recent sessions, raising concerns about undue influence on what should be a public health and environmental agreement.

Financial Responsibility

Countries remain deadlocked over funding. Developing nations demand wealthy countries and polluting industries pay for implementation, while developed nations seek to limit commitments and rely on existing mechanisms rather than creating new dedicated funds.

The Current Deadlock

The draft treaty contains over 370 areas of disagreement, marked by brackets indicating unresolved issues—from definitions of plastic pollution to enforcement mechanisms.

The South Korea breakdown prompted more than 100 countries to declare that “no treaty is better than a weak one,” signaling a willingness to walk away rather than accept a watered-down agreement that ignores production limits.

Potential Outcomes

If Geneva talks fail, several scenarios could unfold. Countries might invoke majority voting rules to approve a treaty over objections from the minority bloc, or the high-ambition coalition might abandon the UN process and negotiate a separate agreement among willing countries.

The stakes extend beyond environmental protection. Plastic production accounts for over 5% of global carbon emissions, and unchecked growth could consume up to one-third of the world’s remaining carbon budget by 2050, undermining climate goals.

With plastic production projected to triple by 2060 without intervention, the Geneva negotiations are considered the last realistic opportunity for coordinated global action on plastic pollution.