Campaigners Disappointed As Plastic Treaty Talks End With No Agreement

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Delegates rest outside of the assembly hall on early August 15, 2025 in Geneva, after talks aimed at striking a landmark treaty on tackling the scourge of plastic pollution ended with no consensus on a last-ditch proposal aimed at breaking the deadlock. Countries trying to break the deadlock and strike a landmark global treaty on combating plastic pollution negotiated through the night into August 15, 2025 on a last-minute revised proposal. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

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Campaigners have expressed their disappointment after talks to establish a legally-binding international agreement to tackle plastic pollution once again ended without an agreement.

The negotiations finished on Friday (15 August) after 10 days of intense discussions in Geneva.

More than 2,600 participants gathered for the negotiations, including 1,400 delegates from 183 countries, and close to 1,000 observers representing over 400 organizations.

Speaking after the negotiations had concluded, Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said it been a “hard-fought 10 days” against the backdrop of geopolitical complexities, economic challenges, and multilateral strains.

“While we did not land the treaty text we hoped for, we at UNEP will continue the work against plastic pollution,” said Andersen.

The negotiations first started in 2022, after more than 170 nations backed a historic UN resolution to end plastic pollution, with an international legally binding agreement.

They initially concluded in December 2024, when no agreement was reached.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s executive lead for plastics and finance, Rob Opsomer, said it was “deeply disappointed” by the lack of an agreement, in a statement.

But Opsomer added he was encouraged by the alignment developed over the last three years of treaty negotiations among a majority of countries, business, and civil society on a comprehensive approach to tackle plastic pollution across the full lifecycle.

“Such alignment did not exist before the start of negotiations and provides a strong basis to build off going forward,” said Opsomer.

“We call on governments to step up and create the harmonised regulation that will unlock scaling of solutions, and on business to continue advocating for positive change while driving action in their own value chains.”

The WWF’s vice president and head of plastic waste and business, Erin Simon also said it was disappointing to leave Geneva without meaningful progress once again, in a statement.

Simon added the breakdown in negotiations will mean the plastic crisis will continue unchecked and the path forward is now uncertain.

“We urge the majority of countries, who mobilized throughout this process to demonstrate their true commitment to ending plastic pollution, to reassert their leadership,” said Simon.

“In whatever comes next, there must be no more excuses. It’s time to show that protecting people’s lives and the planet is non-negotiable.”

The Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty issued a statement after the negotiations had concluded in which it said consensus among nations has “remained elusive”.

The statement added the latest round of negotiations has failed to deliver the certainty that business needs to further mobilise investment and scale solutions to address plastic pollution.

But the coalition said it was encouraged by the increased clarity achieved through three years of negotiations on the globally harmonised regulations across the full lifecycle of plastics needed to effectively tackle plastic pollution.

And it added by the alignment among over 100 countries on the key elements, including phase-outs, product design, and extended producer responsibility (EPR)

“As businesses, we will continue working together to drive solutions, but we know voluntary efforts alone will not be enough,” the statement added.

“We now urge governments to explore all options to make an agreement based on harmonised regulations across the full lifecycle of plastics a reality.”

Oceana’s strategy and advocacy director in Brazil, Lara Iwanicki, who was in Geneva, said said ambitious countries and businesses do not need to wait for a treaty to reduce their plastic use and find alternative packaging solutions.

“Collective action can advance global cooperation. The oceans can’t wait any longer; action is needed now to tackle the plastic pollution crisis,” added Iwanicki.