With talks on a global plastics treaty resuming today, Ambrogio Miserocchi, Plastic Policy Lead and Co-Lead of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, calls on world leaders to stay ambitious and seize a historic opportunity to deliver a robust final agreement to end plastic pollution.
Plastic pollution is a story well-known and familiar to everyone. But even the longest stories must eventually reach an ending, and it is possible that we could take a giant step forward to closing this chapter very soon.
Over the last three years, negotiators representing nations across the entire planet have been gathering to discuss a global treaty to end plastic pollution. At the last round of talks in Busan, South Korea, they rallied overwhelmingly around crucial treaty elements such as global phase-outs of problematic plastics and sustainable levels of production and consumption.
Although negotiations ran out of time last November, I remain hopeful that we can reach an outcome this August. The vast majority of countries have already articulated their support for an ambitious treaty, which proves that the world can meet a global crisis with a global solution. For instance, earlier this June, nearly 100 countries backed the ‘Nice Wake Up Call for an Ambitious Treaty on Plastic Pollution’ statement.
When governments meet again in Geneva from 5-14 August 2025, they have the historic opportunity to turn the tide on plastic pollution and agree on a strong, binding treaty that delivers real change.
While every technical detail might not be agreed upon now, this is an opportunity to set the wheels in motion, build on the moment, and deliver a treaty that turns ambition into action. Clear global rules can unlock innovation, scale solutions, and deliver real environmental, economic, and social benefits to people and businesses everywhere.
This moment offers a real, incredible, opportunity to redesign the system for how we make and use plastics, and that will enable us to work towards, and build, a circular economy. To shift away from the current wasteful linear economy, the focus on product design is more critical than ever.
A clear obligation driving harmonisation of circular economy approaches and requirements to product design is key to transforming how we produce, use, and manage plastics across its entire lifecycle, and contribute to achieving sustainable production and consumption levels.
The majority of governments and citizens support an ambitious, effective and legally binding UN treaty tackling the full lifecycle of plastics, including restrictions and phase-outs of problematic products and chemicals of concern.
Crucially, this also has the backing of business. In 2022, the Foundation, alongside WWF, convened the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty. Since then, more than 300 businesses, financial institutions, and other organisations have rallied behind a common vision for a robust treaty with harmonised regulations and circular economy principles at its core.
It is harmonised regulations that provide the means to go one step further than the efforts of business-led, voluntary action. Those efforts, such as the Global Commitment – the biggest of its kind –have shown that meaningful progress can be made.
Business signatories – representing 20% of the world’s plastic packaging industry – have already significantly outperformed their peers when it comes to taking positive action to tackle plastic waste.
Signatories have kept the equivalent of a barrel of oil in the ground every two seconds as a direct result of the Global Commitment. It has also brought about unprecedented transparency and accountability, as well as demonstrated the roadblocks and challenges faced by organisations across the plastics value chain.
We now know that progress to tackling plastic waste at a global scale is possible, and where the key hurdles are that are preventing further change. Under a successful treaty, a harmonised approach will be made for all. Global rules and global coordination will mean all nations working on a level playing field, giving them the ability to rapidly accelerate solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.
They include the adoption of reuse models at scale; improving systems and infrastructure, and innovating away from flexible plastic packaging. A treaty with binding rules will ensure investment is driven towards these opportunities, whilst also offering significant economic potential.
At the same time, it is crucial that adequate financial support is provided to countries in order to ensure effective enforcement of the agreement and enable a just implementation of the final treaty text.
Governments must fully utilise both public and private finance by ensuring that private capital aligns with the objective of the instrument. A strong signal at the global level will provide the much-needed certainty for businesses and investors, improving long-term decision-making, catalysing investments and lowering the cost of capital.
The finalisation of a strong treaty represents a landmark moment to turn the tide against plastic pollution – and the opportunity to make it a reality is fully in our grasp.
The momentum is real – and the mandate is clear. Now it’s up to governments to deliver. We call on governments to unite in ambition and agree to a strong treaty in Geneva to turn the tide on plastic pollution.
If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:
The ultimate guide to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation in 2025
How are the top brands progressing on packaging sustainability?
Everything you need to know about global packaging sustainability regulation in 2025
The key to increasing the use of reusable packaging in supermarkets
No comments yet