Diplomats involved in negotiations for a global plastics treaty have warned that reaching a sufficiently ambitious agreement may be difficult as talks attempt to regain momentum following the collapse of formal negotiations in August. Representatives from Micronesia, Peru and Switzerland said progress is being made through informal discussions among more than 150 participating countries, but significant disagreements remain on key issues.
While many nations broadly support measures focused on waste management and recycling, major divisions persist over proposals to limit plastic production, address chemical additives in plastics, and determine how treaty measures would be financed. Countries within the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution—including Switzerland, Peru and Micronesia—are advocating for stronger provisions covering production levels and human health impacts.
Negotiators expressed concern that recent closed-door meetings may be narrowing discussions to areas where consensus already exists, potentially sidelining more contentious but high-priority topics. Major economies, including the United States, Russia, India and several oil-producing nations, have generally opposed production limits and prefer a treaty centred on recycling and waste management.
Some observers also criticised the lack of transparency in certain discussions. Despite current disagreements, diplomats emphasised the importance of maintaining the negotiating process and designing a treaty that can evolve over time as technology, scientific knowledge and political consensus develop.