THE world has embarked on a serious attempt to tackle the escalating plastic pollution crisis with talks organised by UNEP being held in Geneva. The second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, which runs from Aug 5 to 14, is intended to deliver the text of a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution. If nations reach an agreement, it would address plastics across their entire lifecycle, from production to disposal. The aim is to put a stop to the millions of tonnes of plastic that leak into the environment each year, poisoning ecosystems, wildlife and human health. The stakes are huge. Scientists warn that without decisive intervention, plastic leakage into aquatic ecosystems could nearly triple by 2040. The economic and health costs — already estimated at over $1.5tr annually — will only mount. As dubbed by many, the Geneva talks are the world’s “last good chance” to forge a treaty to meaningfully reverse these trends.

Yet, with talks due to end on Thursday, negotiations are gridlocked. Over 100 countries in the High Ambition Coalition want enforceable caps on virgin plastic production, the phasing out of harmful additives and robust financing mechanisms. Opposing them are powerful oil- and gas-aligned states — including the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and China — which favour focusing on recycling and waste management, resisting upstream production limits. With over 200 industry lobbyists swarming the conference, civil society fears a watered-down outcome. Pakistan’s specific negotiating stance has not been made public, but as a developing country facing surging plastic waste and inadequate waste management, it has a clear stake in an equitable treaty. Islamabad’s priorities are likely to include access to climate and pollution finance, capacity-building and technology transfer to support domestic implementation. Aligning with progressive positions on production caps would also signal a commitment to systemic change rather than piecemeal fixes. For Pakistan — and the planet — this treaty must not be another exercise in futility that leaves the root of the problem untouched. Delegates should insist on binding targets to reduce plastic production, global bans on the most hazardous polymers and additives, and a dedicated fund to help developing countries transition. If governments can rise above narrow commercial interests, they can deliver an accord that future generations will be thankful for.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2025