Delegates from over 170 nations have convened in Geneva (August 5–14, 2025) aiming to finalize the historic Global Plastic Pollution Treaty. The summit entered a tense phase as disagreements flared between those demanding hard limits on plastic production and those wary of economic implications—like India and fellow petrochemical-dependent countries.

The European Union has pushed to tie financial commitments to concrete measures, such as production cuts, but faces resistance from oil- and gas-producing delegates focusing instead on recycling and waste management. The latest draft, unveiled mid-conference, notably leaves out any binding caps on plastic production or regulation of harmful chemicals drawing sharp criticism from environmental champions across Latin America, Canada, and the EU.

As the August deadline looms, momentum is fragile. Advocates warn that without decisive action, this could be a missed opportunity to curb plastic’s mounting environmental and health toll. But with divisions unresolved, the treaty’s fate hangs in the balance.