Researchers warn global plastics treaty process risks failure without reform
The Global Plastics Policy Centre makes recommendations ahead of the next UN negotiation committee meeting.
The report, released by the centre, which is based at the University of Portsmouth, UK, brings together three years of evidence-based research into the UN negotiations towards a global treaty to end plastic pollution.
The report concludes that unless the process is reset to rebuild trust, clarify direction and unlock political will, the world risks missing a once-in-a-generation chance to tackle plastic pollution at its source.
The findings come as negotiations towards a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty remain in hiatus, shaped by rising geopolitical tensions, strong industry influence and differences in national priorities.
The next meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), to elect a new Chair of the negotiation proces, will take place on 7 February in Geneva following failure to reach agreement in late 2025 and the resignation of the former Chair.
'Unfortunately, the process followed so far has not always facilitated opportunities to find agreement or prevent low-ambition countries from blocking progress. Taking stock of lessons learned to date, and clearly identifying the conditions needed to support effective agreement-finding in a challenging geopolitical context, is critical at this stage of the process,' asserts Dr Antaya March, Director of the Global Plastics Policy Centre.
The research team attended every round of the negotiations and conducted 56 in-depth interviews with participants from governments, UN bodies, civil society, industry and academia, and conducted three focus groups involving 19 participants following the last negotiating meeting. The study captures how negotiations have unfolded in practice, rather than how they appear on paper.
The report finds that the way negotiations are designed and led can determine the extent of their success. Progress depends on interweaving three aspects of work: building shared understanding of the problem and possible solutions; creating space for honest political dialogue; and developing treaty text. Pushing ahead with legal drafting before countries have found enough common ground, the researchers warn, can significantly decrease the effectiveness of international decision-making processes.
To work towards bridging persisting divides, the report sets out a series of practical recommendations. These include finding the common ground that will help to move talks beyond entrenched positions, setting out a clear roadmap to the end of negotiations, strengthening leadership and procedural discipline, and investing actively in rebuilding trust in the negotiations process, its leadership and between countries. High-level political engagement beyond negotiators, will also be essential.
'Our research also shows that these are not just technical negotiations, they are deeply human processes,' says March. 'Gruelling schedules, limited capacity in smaller delegations and the sheer complexity of the task all shape what is possible at the negotiating table.'
Despite the challenges and frustrations associated with the negotiations to date, the report stresses that the plastics treaty process has already had lasting transformative impacts, driving new research, raising global awareness, and building networks of policymakers and practitioners committed to tackling plastic pollution. This represents a significant achievement.
