Global Plastic Treaty Talks Collapse After 1,261 Days of Negotiation
Dr Dipu Siddiqui,International Desk:Tokyo/Geneva/Busan – Hopes for a groundbreaking international treaty to curb plastic pollution have faltered after more than three years of negotiations, leaving the world without a binding framework to address one of its most urgent environmental crises.
On 2 March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted Resolution 5/14, calling for a legally binding instrument to “End Plastic Pollution.” Since then, six rounds of negotiations—spanning more than 1,000 hours—have taken place. Yet, after 1,261 days of talks, delegates failed to achieve consensus on a treaty.
Deep Divisions and Stalled Progress
At the 5th Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in Busan, Republic of Korea, and the extended INC-5.2 session in Geneva, Switzerland, fractures between member states became increasingly evident. While most nations acknowledged the existential threat plastic pollution poses to human health, marine biodiversity, and sustainable development, efforts were undermined by petroleum-producing states and several developed economies that prioritized industrial and economic interests over environmental accountability.
According to observers, constructive proposals were repeatedly blocked by industry-aligned delegations, eroding both trust and momentum in the multilateral process.
“This deadlock represents not just a delay—it signals a potential failure of global governance in tackling one of the most pressing challenges of our time,” said Dr. Emadul Islam, Senior Research Fellow at the Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI) of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Japan, who attended both sessions as an observer.
A Broader Governance Crisis
Dr. Islam emphasized that plastic pollution is more than an environmental issue: it is a humanitarian and governance crisis. “The longer we delay, the more irreversible the damage becomes to our oceans, ecosystems, and societies,” he noted.
His reflections underscore growing concerns among experts that the inability to finalize a treaty risks undermining international cooperation at a time when global environmental governance is already under strain.
High-Level Engagements in Geneva
Alongside his observer role, Dr. Islam engaged in strategic dialogues with global leaders and institutions. These included meetings with Dr. Khalid Koser, Executive Director of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF); representatives of the Geneva Water Hub, University of Geneva; Mrs. Qudsia Deepa, Head of Disaster Management at the World Health Organization (WHO); and Professor Maria Ivanova with delegates from Northeastern University, Boston, USA.
These discussions highlighted the urgency of integrating ocean governance with disaster management and global resilience frameworks, situating plastic pollution within the wider agendas of human security and climate adaptation.
Plastic Pollution by the Numbers
- 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year.
- Less than 10% of all plastic waste is recycled.
- Over 11 million tons of plastic enter the oceans annually.
- Plastic waste causes more than $13 billion in estimated damage to marine ecosystems each year.
- By 2060, global plastic production is expected to triple, if current trends continue.
Microplastics have been found in human blood, lungs, and placenta, raising new health concerns.
An Uncertain Road Ahead
The collapse of the treaty talks leaves the future of global plastic governance uncertain. With plastic production projected to triple by 2060, experts warn that inaction will worsen the mounting costs of pollution, from marine ecosystem destruction to human health impacts.
Whether multilateral negotiations can be revived—or whether fragmented, regional approaches will dominate—remains an open question. What is clear, however, is that the stakes are growing higher with every year of delay.