October 3, 2025Open Access

UN politics won’t deliver an ambitious plastics treaty

PDPeter DauvergneUniversity of British Columbia JAJen Iris AllanCardiff University

Key Points

Consensus cannot be reached on the treaty text among negotiators, highlighting deep divisions.
The recent talks in Geneva failed to finalize a global plastics treaty text, underlining the governance challenges.
A successful, high-ambition treaty will likely require efforts beyond the traditional UN framework.
The inability to secure agreement indicates significant hurdles for global environmental policy initiatives.

Abstract

Negotiators again failed to finalize the text for a global plastics treaty in Geneva in August 2025. The talks exposed two harsh truths. Consensus on the treaty text, where no state formally objects, cannot be reached. And securing a high-ambition treaty is going to require launching a new process outside the United Nations (UN) framework.

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