UN Plastic Treaty Negotiations Collapse

In August 2025, the two-year global negotiations for a plastic treaty concluded in failure in Geneva. The core dispute centered on regulating the entire plastic lifecycle: the EU and small island nations advocated restricting virgin plastic production, while the US and oil-exporting nations insisted on a voluntary governance model. The breakdown means that 18% of global plastic waste annually—approximately 90 million tons—will continue flowing into oceans. By 2040, the total weight of ocean plastic is projected to exceed that of fish.