The urgent need to halt plastic pollution
The production of plastic, which relies on the extraction and processing of fossil fuels, exacerbates the threat to the climate. This is why the stakes are high at the UN-sponsored international conference taking place in Geneva from August 5 to 14. The aim is to conclude the first global treaty against plastic pollution.
From production to use to recycling, plastics cause tens of thousands of cases of illness and death each year. An article published on Monday, August 4, by leading scientists in The Lancet confirmed that workers at polymer production sites, people living nearby, and consumers of plastic products – in other words, all humans – are affected. While only a third of the 16,000 chemicals used in plastics have ever been tested for toxicity, thousands are already considered "highly hazardous" to health.
This alarming reality, combined with surging plastic production projected to double to one billion tons annually by 2050, and dismal recycling rates of less than 10% worldwide, makes an immediate halt all the more urgent.
Yet the world remains divided on how to address this calamity. A coalition of about 100 countries – including the 27 member states of the European Union – supported by environmental NGOs and the scientific community, has advocated for a treaty that includes a clause to reduce global plastic production and consumption.
Risk of another failure
However, a core group of countries producing oil and gas (notably Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran, supported by China and the United States) opposed such measures. They rather opted for a bill focused solely on waste management and recycling. The Geneva meeting is actually a catch-up session, following the collapse of negotiations in South Korea in December 2024, which were supposed to conclude talks begun in 2022.
The risk of another failed round of negotiations is high, given that Donald Trump denies the environmental impact of plastic and China – the world's largest producer accounting for a third of global output, and the largest consumer alongside the US – rejects binding targets and prefers only voluntary national commitments.
Adopting an ambitious bill by a vote limited to willing states, rather than by consensus as per United Nations rules, would certainly increase pressure from consumers on producers. However, this would be a significant setback for an issue that is inherently global. Chinese negotiators could be tempted by a compromise, as China could emerge as a leader in alternatives to plastic. One thing is certain: The failure of the Geneva talks would be a serious setback for the health of the planet and its people, especially the poorest.
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