Overview

• Delegates from over 160 countries began a last-chance session in Geneva on August 5 to negotiate a treaty covering plastic production through disposal.
• The High Ambition Coalition of more than 60 nations is pressing for binding global limits on plastic output, bans on single-use items, and a financing mechanism for low-income countries.
• Oil-exporting states including Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia are blocking production caps and advocating for an agreement focused solely on waste management and voluntary pledges.
• A Lancet study estimates that plastic pollution inflicts $1.5 trillion in annual health damages and documents microplastics in human blood, lungs, and breast milk.
• Experts warn that without agreed limits on plastic production, global recycling infrastructure cannot scale quickly enough to handle the projected surge in plastic waste.