Global Plastic Treaty Talks Stall in Geneva

Also available in Italian  

The much-anticipated UN-led negotiations to establish a global agreement on plastic production and waste management collapsed early on August 15, with 180 participating countries failing to reach consensus.

Key obstacles included a veto by major oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Iran, alongside opposition from the United States. Brazil, host of the upcoming COP30 climate summit, also refrained from supporting the proposed treaty.

The draft agreement had included measures to reduce single-use plastic production, ban some of the most harmful chemical additives, and establish universal design guidelines for plastic products, as well as funding mechanisms to support nations in implementing the treaty. However, disagreements over decision-making rules and the burden placed on national governments proved insurmountable.

According to environmental groups, the failure is particularly disappointing given that only about 9 % of global plastic production is recycled, while 81 % becomes waste within a year—much of which ends up in landfills or the natural environment.