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Nations gather in Geneva to address the Global plastic pollution crisis
Geneva, August 5, 2025 – Nearly 180 countries began talks Tuesday at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva to draft the world’s first legally binding treaty aimed at tackling the growing plastic pollution crisis threatening the planet.
Ecuadorian diplomat Luis Vayas Valdivieso, presiding over the discussions, emphasized the responsibility of nations to curb what he called a "global crisis." “Plastic pollution harms ecosystems, pollutes oceans and rivers, threatens biodiversity, impacts human health, and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable,” he said. “The urgency is real, the evidence is clear, and the responsibility lies with us.”
The negotiations come after previous talks in Busan, South Korea, failed in late 2024 due to opposition from oil-producing countries. This added session, CIN5-2, is an opportunity for renewed diplomacy amid geopolitical tensions.
Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), highlighted the willingness of most countries to reach an agreement. “Is it going to be easy? No. Is it going to be simple? No. Is there complexity? Yes. Is there a path to a treaty? Absolutely,” she said.
Experts warn plastic pollution poses a “serious, growing and underestimated” health risk costing the world at least $1.5 trillion annually, according to a report published in The Lancet. Children and vulnerable populations bear the brunt of these impacts.
Artistic activist Benjamin Von Wong installed a symbolic sculpture titled “The Burden of the Thinker” in Geneva, showing Rodin’s famous statue engulfed in plastic waste, to remind delegates of the human health impact of plastic pollution.
However, representatives from the chemical industry defended plastic’s role in modern society, citing its vital use in sterile medical equipment, food safety packaging, and hygiene products.
Environmental groups such as Greenpeace continue to demand an urgent reduction in plastic production to halt the escalating pollution crisis.