Geneva (TDI): With the world drowning in plastic waste, negotiators from 180 countries gathered in Geneva on Tuesday to restart critical talks aimed at crafting a global treaty to curb plastic pollution, a crisis the United Nations describes as an escalating threat to both human health and the planet’s ecosystems.
“We’re in the middle of a global crisis,” warned Luis Vayas Valdivieso, Ecuador’s lead delegate and chair of the negotiations, as 10 days of intense discussions kicked off.
“Plastic is polluting our rivers, oceans, and food chains, harming biodiversity, endangering human health, and impacting the world’s most vulnerable communities,” he told the opening session. “The urgency is real. The science is clear. Now the responsibility is ours.”
This round of talks follows a failed attempt in Busan, South Korea, last December, where negotiations collapsed under pressure from oil-producing nations opposed to limits on plastic production.
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While hopes for an agreement remain alive, officials leading the effort admitted the road ahead won’t be smooth.
“There has been a lot of diplomacy since Busan,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which is organizing the summit. “Most countries are coming here to make a deal. It won’t be easy or linear, but it is possible.”
UN members had pledged in 2022 to finalize a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. That goal now hangs in the balance.
At the heart of the debate lies a split between two camps: One bloc, backed by over 600 NGOs and several governments, is pushing for a strong agreement that cuts plastic production, phases out toxic chemicals, and provides financial support for countries transitioning to sustainable alternatives.
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The other, led largely by oil-producing nations, opposes production caps and wants the focus shifted toward waste management and recycling.
Environmental campaigners argue that focusing solely on waste is futile. “To solve the plastic pollution crisis, we have to stop making so much plastic,” said Graham Forbes of Greenpeace, who warned that powerful fossil fuel interests were trying to water down the treaty.
“It’s unacceptable to let a handful of countries block meaningful global action,” he said.
The world now produces more than 400 million tons of plastic annually, half of it for single-use purposes. Of all plastic waste generated, only 9% is actually recycled. Nearly half ends up in landfills, 17% is burned, and 22% becomes litter, often ending up in waterways or the ocean.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
