WWF Urges Global Action to Secure a Robust Plastic Treaty

 

  As the world convenes next week in Geneva for the final round of negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic pollution (INC-5.2), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is calling on the global community to urgently explore every procedural pathway available to secure a robust and legally binding agreement.

 

This is contained in a statement signed by Susan McCarthy, Media Officer, WWF,  on Monday in Lagos.

 

The statement said that plastic pollution, which threatens the health of people, ecosystems, and economies, has reached critical levels, with an estimated 30,000 tonnes of plastic waste entering the ocean each day.

 

According to it, WWF warns that failing to deliver an ambitious treaty at INC-5.2 risks locking in a high-pollution future that will be far more costly—and potentially irreversible.

 

The statement quoted Erin Simon, Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste & Business at WWF as saying:

 

“The speed at which the treaty went from conception to near completion is exactly what the planet needed, but it was never going to be without challenges.

 

 “As we approach the final stretch, negotiators must remember why we’re here: Our planet is overwhelmed by plastic waste, and it’s impacting everything that calls this planet home.”

 

“A weak treaty is not an option.

 

 “The world needs binding global rules to tackle plastic pollution at its root. Every day we delay makes this crisis more difficult and more dangerous to solve.”

 

The statement noted that despite strong momentum among a majority of countries, a small minority continue to stall progress.

 

It said that with consensus under strain, WWF urged negotiators to explore alternative procedural options—beyond formal consensus—that would ensure the treaty reflects the ambitious commitments made by the global community in March 2022.

 

It said that WWF is calling for a treaty that includes:

 

“Global bans on the most harmful plastic products and chemicals

“Mandatory product design requirements to enable a non-toxic, circular economy

“Financial and technical support for developing countries

“Built-in mechanisms for strengthening and adapting the treaty over time.”

The statement said that WWF emphasised the wide-reaching benefits of a strong treaty, including job creation, improved public health, reduced taxpayer burden, and enhanced global economic competitiveness.

 

The statement added that as the final round of talks begins, WWF reminds governments that the world is watching—and that the decisions made in Geneva would shape the planet’s environmental and economic future for generations to come.