Geneva plastic pollution talks end in deadlock

Pupils from Lion Hill Primary School, located near Lake Nakuru National Park, joined staff from Sarova Woodlands Hotel led by Cluster General Manager Duncan Mwangi of Sarova Woodlands and Sarova Lion Hill Lodge and members of the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya in a plastic waste cleanup to mark World Environment Day on June 5, 2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] Ten days of negotiations of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution have ended today without a consensus on a text of the instrument. The resumed fifth session (INC-5.2) talks, which were held at Palais des Nations in Geneva were also to come up an instrument on marine environment. The Committee agreed to resume negotiations at a future date to be announced. The meeting adjourned with a clearly expressed desire by Member States to continue the process, recognising the significant difference of views between states. The talks saw more than 2,600 participants gather, including over 1,400 Member delegates from 183 countries, and close to 1,000 Observers representing over 400 organisations. Some 70 Ministers and Vice Ministers, as well as 30 other high-level representatives, also held informal roundtables on the margins of the session. "This has been a hard-fought 10 days against the backdrop of geopolitical complexities, economic challenges, and multilateral strains. However, one thing remains clear: despite these complexities, all countries clearly want to remain at the table," said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). She added: "While we did not land the treaty text we hoped for, we at UNEP will continue the work against plastic pollution - pollution that is in our groundwater, in our soil, in our rivers, in our oceans and yes, in our bodies." The goal of INC-5.2 was to agree on the instrument's text and highlight unresolved issues requiring further preparatory work ahead of a diplomatic conference. Despite intensive engagement, Members of the Committee were unable to reach consensus on the proposed texts. "Failing to reach the goal we set for ourselves may bring sadness, even frustration. Yet it should not lead to discouragement. On the contrary, it should spur us to regain our energy, renew our commitments, and unite our aspirations," said INC Chair Luis Valdivieso. He added: "It has not happened yet in Geneva, but I have no doubt that the day will come when the international community will unite its will and join hands to protect our environment and safeguard the health of our people." The Geneva session follows INC 5.1, which took place in November/December 2024 in Busan, Republic of Korea. It was preceded by four sessions: INC-1 in Punta del Este in November 2022, INC-2, held in Paris in June 2023, INC-3 in Nairobi in November 2023 and INC-4, which took place in Ottawa in April 2024.

Geneva plastic pollution talks end in deadlock

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Stand With Bold Journalism.
Stand With The Standard.

Related Topics

Popular this week

Latest Stories

The Standard Insider

Digger Classified

GET OUR NEWSLETTER

CONNECT WITH US

FOR THE LATEST JOB ADVERTS

DIGGER JOBS

Digger Motors

Digger Real Estate

Geneva plastic pollution talks end in deadlock

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Stand With Bold Journalism. Stand With The Standard.

Related Topics

Trending Now

Popular this week

Latest Stories

The Standard Insider

Digger Classified

GET OUR NEWSLETTER

CONNECT WITH US

FOR THE LATEST JOB ADVERTS

Stand With Bold Journalism.
Stand With The Standard.