A Global Treaty to Combat Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution begins long before waste reaches a river or the ocean.
Product design, manufacturing, usage, and end-of-life determine how much plastic risks escaping waste management systems.

A global agreement can establish a shared framework to prevent discharges, enhance waste management, and support countries lacking adequate resources.
The challenge is therefore not merely cleaning up coastlines: it requires establishing obligations, financing, and international cooperation, while taking national capacities into account.
This is precisely what Resolution 5/14, adopted in Nairobi on 02.03.2022, calls for: an approach addressing the entire life cycle of plastics.

The process began in 2022. Following sessions in Punta del Este, Paris, Nairobi, Ottawa, and Busan, the Geneva session (INC-5.2, August 5–15, 2025) concluded without consensus. The procedural meeting on 07.02.2026 (INC-5.3), also held in Geneva, elected a new chair, Chilean Ambassador Julio Cordano, without substantive negotiations.

A new session (INC-5.4) is scheduled for March 13–24, 2027, at a venue to be confirmed. This briefing will be updated following each official decision.

As an organisation based in the Canton of Geneva, we closely track international negotiations and share key insights from our expeditions. During the August 2025 session, we championed a clear message: address the entire life cycle without setting prevention against cleanup.

In Malaysia and Indonesia, our programmes conducted alongside authorities and local partners demonstrate what effective solutions demand: training, recurring operating costs, recycling access, reliable data, and a roadmap towards autonomy. We do not negotiate on behalf of states: our mission is to inform policy through real-world experience.