Geneva: The 10-day summit, held under the auspices of the United Nations, marks the fifth round of global negotiations launched in 2022 by the UN General Assembly. The talks seek to establish a comprehensive agreement regulating the entire lifecycle of plastics—from production and design to waste management.

Ecuadorian diplomat Luis Valles, chairing the session, underscored the urgency and complexity of the discussions, calling on all participating nations to show “serious engagement” in order to reach consensus on a binding legal framework.

Despite shared concern over plastic pollution, countries remain divided on the approach. Some advocate for curbing plastic production and tackling pollution at its source, while others push for solutions focused on recycling innovations without placing limits on output.

The urgency is backed by sobering data. According to the UN Environment Programme, the world produces over 430 million tons of plastic each year, more than two-thirds of which ends up polluting land and sea, with harmful effects on ecosystems, economies, and human health.

The Geneva round is expected to produce a preliminary draft of the treaty, with the goal of full adoption by the end of 2025.