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The most recent discussions surrounding the United Nations’ plastic treaty have yielded disappointing results, with experts indicating that the latest draft is even less ambitious than its predecessor. Following a failed round of negotiations in Geneva last year, diplomats reconvened in Nairobi from 30 June to 3 July to develop a new “no surprises” document. However, the outcome raises significant concerns about the effectiveness of the treaty in addressing the urgent issues of plastic pollution and its implications for human health.
Continuing Challenges in Plastic Treaty Negotiations
The chair of the ongoing negotiations, Julio Cordano, the Chilean ambassador to the UN, took charge in February with the aspiration of crafting a legally binding instrument to combat plastic pollution. He recently characterised the new draft as “an informal, evolving reference document,” expressing optimism about the commitment shown by member states. Yet, critiques from environmental specialists suggest that the draft remains largely unaltered from last year’s version, particularly in areas concerning production and health.
Andrés del Castillo, a senior attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law, pointed out the stagnation in progress during a time of unprecedented environmental crises, notably the fifth consecutive heatwave across Europe. He noted that the latest draft is strikingly similar to its predecessor, laden with brackets that signal unresolved issues, especially in relation to production, health, and chemical safety.
Health Implications and Environmental Justice
The presence of extensive bracketed text in the treaty is particularly alarming from a public health perspective. Megan Deeney, a research fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, highlighted that human health is mentioned only nine times within the substantive articles, with seven of these references bracketed. This precarious situation suggests that crucial health protections could be entirely stripped from the treaty in future negotiations.
Environmental advocates are also concerned about the treaty’s narrow focus on environmental protection, which overlooks significant issues such as the microplastic pollution linked to UK waste in Turkey and the contamination of agricultural soils from recycled food waste. This lack of inclusivity could hinder efforts to address the broader implications of plastic pollution for both the environment and public health.
The Role of Industry Lobbying and Future Steps
The impasse seen in previous negotiations stemmed primarily from disagreements over the reduction of plastic production. At the Geneva conference, despite a widespread desire among nations to cap production, a powerful minority of oil and plastic-producing countries resisted. This led to accusations that the negotiation system was being “weaponised” by vested interests.
In light of these challenges, del Castillo argued for the necessity of alternative approaches to consensus-based negotiations, which could otherwise perpetuate stagnation akin to that seen in climate discussions over the years. As the next round of talks is scheduled for March 2027—an unusually prolonged interval of 18 months—environmental groups are increasingly vocal about the need to confront the fundamental issue at the heart of plastic pollution: the unrestrained production of plastics from fossil fuels.
Fabienne McLellan, managing director of OceanCare, emphasised the urgency of addressing the interlinked crises of plastic and climate change. She warned that without acknowledging the sources of plastic pollution, the treaty risks devolving into a mere waste-management agreement, which fails to tackle the root causes.
Why it Matters
The trajectory of the UN plastic treaty negotiations is critical not only for environmental preservation but also for safeguarding public health. As scientific evidence mounts regarding the harmful effects of plastic on human health, the need for a robust, legally binding framework has never been clearer. The current stagnation, exacerbated by industry lobbying, threatens to undermine efforts to protect future generations from the pervasive impacts of plastic pollution. If the treaty fails to address the interconnected challenges of plastic production and health, we risk perpetuating a cycle of environmental degradation that will have lasting consequences for both our planet and its inhabitants.
