The recent United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France provided a crucial platform for reflection and renewed commitment as we approach the next (and hopefully final) round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty in August. At UNOC, thousands of delegates and ocean advocates gathered to discuss the blue economy and challenges facing marine environments, and plastic pollution remains a key topic.
Hanna Dijkstra was there and took advantage to speak to dozens of people and attend events discussing the complexity of the challenges ahead and the growing momentum for meaningful action. With 90+ countries signing the ‘The Nice wake up call for an ambitious plastics treaty’, Hanna comes back from UNOC inspired and with a renewed hope for the negotiations in Geneva.
Read her takeaways from Nice as we look ahead to Geneva.
EPR: Tackling marine pollution upstream
The event ‘Extended Producer Responsibility: The Wind Behind the Sails in Tackling Marine Pollution’ co-hosted by Searious Business and CITEO revealed both promise and peril in how producer responsibility is approached.
Taking a phased approach to EPR
Junu Shrestha from the World Bank summarized the necessary stages of EPR succinctly, introducing a three-phase approach;
- Stage One: Establishing collection systems and data gathering infrastructure
- Stage Two: Implementing low-quality recycling with stable sorting and collection, focusing on improving recycling processes
- Stage Three: Achieving full-fledged circularity with design-for-recycling principles
Additionally, the point was made on how EPR must integrate with existing waste management systems rather than replace them, and the fact that the informal sector, which plays a vital role in many regions, cannot be diminished but must be included and improved through EPR frameworks.
Public-private partnerships are key
Speakers highlighted a common misconception about EPR; rather than simply shifting responsibility from public to private sectors, effective EPR requires genuine partnership. The public sector must provide guidance, set targets and mandates, monitor compliance, and establish verification schemes. Meanwhile, the private sector needs the capacity to follow through, report transparently, and make necessary investments.
CITEO described this partnership approach with France’s ambitious 2027 target: 10% of all products in the market should be reusable, backed by €100 million in investment since 2020. With 72% of packaging already being recycled, France is demonstrating how systematic policy frameworks can drive industry transformation.
The Scientists Coalition: Bringing evidence to action
In a warm and packed room overlooking the sea, The Scientists Coalition for an Ambitious Plastics Treaty hosted two impressive panels to discuss the upcoming plastics treaty negotiations. The speakers highlighted critical gaps between scientific knowledge and policy implementation. They also called for a subsidiary body or mechanism for scientific knowledge sharing to be included in the treaty, particularly around understanding chemicals of concern and material composition of plastics.
Standards driven by need, not by market
Professor Richard Thompson’s observation struck at the heart of current inadequacies: existing standards, such as the ISO standards, are driven by market needs rather than environmental necessity. He reiterated the need for standards built on regulatory requirements and environmental protection, not just commercial viability.
Indigenous knowledge and seven generation thinking
Perhaps the most powerful moment came from Professor Rashid Sumaila’s reflection on temporal perspectives: indigenous systems think in seven generations while Western business operates quarterly. This fundamental difference in time horizons suggests we need to find ways to equal the playing field between those who cause harms and those who feel it and he encouraged the audience to consider the adage of ‘walking on the world as if it feels pain’.
The Nice Wake-Up Call: A moment of clarity
The conference culminated in the « Nice Wake-Up Call, » where over 90 Member States issued a declaration setting red lines for the upcoming Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, identifying five key elements for achieving a global agreement that is « commensurate with what science tells us and our citizens are calling for. » This public declaration serves as a tool to build momentum and demonstrate commitment.
Looking ahead to INC5.2: What Geneva must deliver
With INC5.2 scheduled for August 5-14 2025 in Geneva, there is hope that the energy and enthusiasm from the Nice declaration carries through to the negotiation tables. The following points were reiterated by many participants and presenters in UNOC.
1. Evidence and transparency
Both the EPR and Scientists Coalition events emphasized the critical need for data disclosure, monitoring systems, and transparency. The treaty framework must establish robust systems for evidence gathering and sharing, particularly supporting capacity building in developing nations.
2. Full lifecycle approach
The Nice Declaration’s emphasis on a full lifecycle approach aligns with Earth Action’s own work on plastic footprinting and leakage. Tracking plastic from production to end-of-life and leakage is critical to designing effective regulations, EPR systems, and interventions.
3. Corporate accountability and harmonized measurement
As emphasized by the Business Coalition for an Ambitious Treaty, companies recognize the benefits of harmonized standards, definitions and regulations. As EPR proliferates around the world, it is getting harder and harder for multi-national corporations to keep track, which only complicates things further (check out our work with SAP on the topic). Thus, if the treaty establishes mandatory disclosure mechanisms that level the playing field and provide companies with standardized metrics, they can make informed decisions and track progress against targets.
The path forward: From ambition to action
Conversations in Nice revealed a growing consensus around what works -and what doesn’t- when it comes to tackling plastic pollution. EPR, when implemented with integrity, has shown potential to drive meaningful change. But whether or not EPR is included in the final treaty, the broader imperative is clear: the treaty must create the enabling conditions for effective, enforceable systems that address the full lifecycle of plastics.
Science must remain central: informing standards, setting thresholds, and identifying harmful substances. Yet science alone isn’t enough. Indigenous knowledge systems, the role of the informal sector, and context-specific realities must also shape the treaty, helping ensure that equity, inclusion, and long-term thinking are embedded in its design.
The data is unequivocal: unchecked production, toxic additives, and unrecyclable plastic mixes continue to drive pollution and health risks worldwide. With evidence building and political momentum aligning, INC5.2 offers a critical window to transform years of voluntary pledges into binding, enforceable global action.
Since the start of the INC negotiations, Earth Action has published a number of resources to support negotiators and stakeholders alike. To better understand the scale and geography of mismanaged plastic flows, the 2025 edition of the Plastic Overshoot Day Report provides a sobering snapshot of current trajectories.
On microplastic pollution, the peer-reviewed synthesis with Professor Richard Thompson traces twenty years of evolving science, while the Microplastic Barometer offers an annual benchmark assessment -stay tuned for the 2025 update, set to be published ahead of INC5.2. These are complemented by our analysis of plastic in paints, an often-overlooked source of microplastic emissions. Our case study on plastic footprint and circularity demonstrates that circularity alone does not reduce leakage, and that meaningful mitigation requires absolute reductions in plastic production -an insight that makes the case for production caps, which promise to be one of the more contentious topics in Geneva.
Finally, to support treaty negotiators directly, the MSME report outlines how future policies can be designed to include and empower small businesses as part of the transition.
