August 7, 2025 | Thursday
It’s only Day 3 (out of 10) of the plastics treaty negotiations, and already nerves are starting to fray. While multiple conference room papers (CRPs) and statements show an incredible amount of convergence between the majority of countries, their proposals—which have been carefully developed in a months-long effort to build support amongst the Member States— are given the same amount of airtime as proposals dashed off and submitted by the vocal minority in a matter of days. This small group of nations refuses to budge, and fortunately ambitious countries have so far held the line on critical issues like production reduction, chemicals of concern, and a strong financial mechanism. With this stubborn minority trying to prevent any substantial progress in contact groups, once again Member States are faced with long days and profound uncertainty.
The question on everyone’s mind is: will any country put a stop to this relentless consensus-based, groundhog day situation and reestablish democracy? The stocktake plenary (where contact group chairs will report progress–or lack thereof– made in contact groups thus far) will take place on Saturday if all goes according to plan. If a call for a vote happens, it might happen then. Grab your popcorn.
Negotiations on Article 5: Product Design
On day 2 of negotiations, GAIA members were encouraged by the growing Member State support to add “non-toxic reuse” to Article 5 on product design. The inclusion of such a term will encourage the scaling of reuse globally as an alternative to the single-use model, and ensure that those reuse initiatives avoid plastic and other materials that contain hazardous chemicals. Some Member States are also strongly advocating that reference to the Basel Convention be retained in the text– the reasoning for this is that the Basel Convention regulates the trade of hazardous waste, including some, but not all types of plastics. The plastic waste trade has shown itself to be waste colonialism: wealthier countries shipping off their low-value plastic waste for lower-income countries to manage. The plastics treaty must close any loopholes in the Basel Convention by ensuring that any plastic waste trade is environmentally sound and follows prior notification and consent from receiving countries.
Just Transition Under Threat
Up until now, reference to Just Transition in the treaty text has been a decided point of convergence, even amongst countries less enthusiastic about other progressive proposals. However, one country is now advocating to remove Just Transition from any part of the text. A Just Transition is essential for waste pickers and workers, Indigenous Peoples, and frontline communities most impacted by plastic pollution. Read the day’s joint statement from Indigenous Peoples, Waste Pickers, and Unionized Workers to learn more about their demands.
US Meddling with the Financial Mechanism (Article 11)
The United States has submitted a CRP promoting a “Public-Private Coordination Network” for article 11 on the financial mechanism, as an alternative to a global tax on polluters. These “innovative” partnerships could encourage polluting downstream approaches like “chemical recycling” and plastic credits, and would have no oversight from Member States through the COP (the body in charge of treaty implementation). Essentially, this could open a Wild West of private investment that wrests power and resources away from Member States, who should be the ones to control how money is being spent. The privatization of development finance has been shown historically to perpetuate inequities instead of solving global problems.
Industry Infiltration
According to a CIEL analysis, a record number 234 fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists are registered to attend INC-5.2. Chemical and fossil fuel industry lobbyists outnumber the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastic Treaty (60) by nearly four to one, and the Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus (36) by nearly seven to one.
Plastic Credits, Discredited
Two hard-hitting investigations have come out over the past two days exposing the negative impact that plastic credits are having on waste pickers in Africa (Kenya and Ghana). Both revealed that while these credit projects claim to support waste picker livelihoods, waste pickers are often competing with instead of benefiting from these programs. In both cases, it was clear that the plastic credit projects were likely not even fulfilling their purpose of incentivizing more plastic collection and recycling— waste pickers were already doing that long before plastic credits came along. GAIA members have raised concerns about the inclusion of the term “innovative financing” in Article 11, which could open the door for further plastic credit projects as a supposed way of financing the treaty implementation, once again placing the power in the hands of private actors instead of governments, and focusing on ineffective waste management instead of waste reduction. With plastic industry groups behind these projects, one wonders who is really benefiting from the fiction of plastic credits…
Civil Society in Action
Over 48 million health professionals from all over the globe, including the World Medical Association and the International Council of Nurses, are calling on world leaders to end plastic pollution—pushing for a just, equitable, and health-centered Global Plastics Treaty.
Greenpeace on staged a protest action at the gates to the Palais de Nations demanding big oil to be kicked out from the negotiations.
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About GAIA
GAIA is a worldwide alliance of more than 1,000 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in over 90 countries. With our work we aim to catalyze a global shift towards environmental justice by strengthening grassroots social movements that advance solutions to waste and pollution. We envision a just, zero waste world built on respect for ecological limits and community rights, where people are free from the burden of toxic pollution, and resources are sustainably conserved, not burned or dumped.
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