By Christine Mwikali
1 May 2025
As the world grapples with mounting plastic waste and its devastating impact on ecosystems, health, and economies, attention now turns to Geneva, Switzerland, where delegates from around the globe will reconvene from 5 to 14 August 2025 at the Palais des Nations for the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2). The meeting aims to finalize the elements of a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
This resumed session follows INC-5.1, held in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 25 November to 1 December 2024. That session marked a critical juncture in the negotiations, culminating in the release of the much-anticipated Chair’s Text on 1 December 2024, a consolidated draft intended to provide a roadmap toward consensus. However, despite strong momentum, numerous contentious issues were left unresolved — now setting the stage for pivotal discussions in Geneva.
What Didn’t Happen at INC-5.1
While the Busan meeting was expected to deliver significant breakthroughs, several key issues remained unresolved:
- Divergence on Binding Obligations: Countries remained divided over whether the treaty should include mandatory global targets, such as caps on plastic production, or rely primarily on national action plans. Many developing countries, particularly those from the Global South, emphasized the need for flexibility, while others, especially from the EU and Pacific Island states, pushed for ambitious, enforceable limits.
- Financial and Technical Support: No consensus was reached on the mechanisms for funding implementation. Developing nations have repeatedly called for clear commitments on technology transfer and financial assistance to meet treaty obligations.
- Scope of Chemicals and Products: Disagreement persisted around how to address chemicals of concern, microplastics, and problematic or avoidable plastic products, with industry lobbyists influencing positions in some delegations.
- Waste Management vs. Production Reduction: A growing debate has emerged between a downstream approach (focused on waste collection and recycling) versus an upstream approach (targeting the reduction of plastic production and redesign). The Chair’s Text attempted to accommodate both views, but criticisms arose regarding the lack of specificity.
Expectations for INC-5.2
As regional consultations kick off on 4 August 2025, expectations are high for Geneva to serve as a breakthrough moment in the treaty process. INC-5.2 is seen as the final opportunity before a potential diplomatic conference (or INC-6) to adopt the treaty.
Key expectations include:
- Finalization of Treaty Text: Delegates are expected to refine and potentially adopt key treaty provisions based on the Chair’s Text, which will undergo article-by-article negotiation. Clarity is needed on definitions, scope, timelines, and compliance mechanisms.
- Establishment of Implementation Mechanisms: Negotiators are tasked with agreeing on monitoring, reporting, and verification mechanisms, as well as establishing a dedicated implementation and compliance committee.
- Creation of a Financial Architecture: A major point of negotiation will be whether to establish a new multilateral fund to support developing countries or rely on existing climate and environmental finance structures.
- Inclusion of Non-State Actors: Civil society organizations, Indigenous groups, and youth activists are advocating for greater participation and equity in decision-making, especially on issues related to environmental justice and the rights of future generations.
Geneva represents a critical inflection point. With just a few months before the end-of-2025 deadline, the pressure is on negotiators to bridge political divides, translate ambition into legal commitments, and deliver a treaty that addresses the full life cycle of plastics. Failing to achieve tangible progress in August could delay or weaken the final instrument, risking further environmental degradation and public health impacts.
Stakeholders across governments, the private sector, and civil society are watching closely. As one negotiator put it, “The world cannot afford a weak treaty. Geneva must be where the world finally agrees to turn off the tap.”
