Global Plastic Pollution Treaty: Progress or Posturing?

Introduction: The Plastic Crisis and Global Efforts Plastic pollution is a planetary crisis. With over 300 million tons of plastic produced annually, only a fraction is recycled, leaving the rest to choke oceans, litter landscapes and infiltrate ecosystems. This crisis disproportionately affects developing nations, where waste management infrastructure is often inadequate. To address this, the United Nations initiated the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), tasked with creating a global treaty to combat plastic pollution. The INC-5 meeting in Busan, South Korea, was expected to be a turning point. Instead, it left the world questioning whether meaningful progress is possible. This article critically examines the INC-5 meeting, its outcomes and its implications. We’ll also explore comparisons to the Conference of the Parties (COP) climate negotiations, questioning whether these international forums serve their purpose or perpetuate inequality and inaction. Who benefits ...