A Guide to the Global Agreement to End Plastic Pollution

This guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a comprehensive overview of the negotiations for an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) to end plastic pollution. It details the scientific evidence of plastic's impact on human health and the environment, the history of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process, the contested elements of the proposed treaty, and the diverse interests of national governments and non-state stakeholders.

• Plastic pollution is a pervasive global crisis with materials found in remote areas from the Arctic to the deep sea. Of the 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic produced as of 2015, 6.3 billion tonnes became waste, with 79% ending up in landfills or the environment. The disintegration process for some plastics can last up to 1,500 years.
• Emerging science indicates that microplastics and nanoplastics have infiltrated human organs, including the blood, lungs, placenta, and brain. Humans are estimated to ingest between 74,000 and 121,000 microplastic particles annually. Additionally, plastics contain over 10,000 chemicals, including PFAS and BPA, which are linked to endocrine disruption, infertility, and cancer.
• Plastic pollution significantly impacts marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Approximately 14 million tons of plastic enter oceans annually, with 100% of marine turtles and 90% of seabirds having ingested plastics. In agricultural settings, microplastics may reduce global crop production by 13.5%.
• The plastic life cycle contributes 3.4% to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a figure that exceeds the emissions of the aviation sector. These emissions stem from production, incineration, and the degradation of plastic waste in the ocean, which may reduce carbon sequestration by phytoplankton by 5%–10%.
• The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted Resolution 5/14 in March 2022 to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) to end plastic pollution. The mandate requires a comprehensive approach addressing the full life cycle of plastic, though the exact scope remains a point of contention among negotiating states.
• Four major areas of debate persist in the treaty negotiations: the phase-out of specific plastic products, the regulation of chemicals of concern, the establishment of global production reduction targets for primary plastics, and the funding mechanisms for implementation.
• Negotiating coalitions are split between 'High-Ambition' countries (led by Rwanda, Norway, Peru, and the EU) who seek binding production caps and a full life-cycle approach, and the 'Like-Minded Group' (including India, Russia, and the Arab Group) who prefer focusing on waste management and oppose production limits.
• Developing countries and Small Island Developing States emphasize the need for financial and technical assistance as a prerequisite for implementation. They specifically call for a remediation fund to address the historical dumping of legacy plastic waste in their territories.
• The proposed treaty seeks synergies with existing frameworks, including the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions for chemical and waste management, the WHO for health standards, and the ILO for ensuring a 'just transition' for formal and informal waste pickers.
• The treaty may establish subsidiary bodies, such as a Scientific-Technical-Economic-Social-Cultural Review Committee and a facilitative, non-punitive compliance mechanism, to provide evidence-based guidance and ensure parties adhere to their obligations.

APA

Kantai, T., Baršauskaitė, I., Roy, D., Paterson, M., & Templeton, J. (2025). A Guide to the Global Agreement to End Plastic Pollution. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/guide-to_global-agreement-end-plastic-pollution.pdf

Chicago

Kantai, Tallash, Ieva Baršauskaitė, Dimple Roy, Michael Paterson, and Jessica Templeton. A Guide to the Global Agreement to End Plastic Pollution. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2025. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/guide-to_global-agreement-end-plastic-pollution.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kantai |first1=Tallash |last2=Baršauskaitė |first2=Ieva |last3=Roy |first3=Dimple |last4=Paterson |first4=Michael |last5=Templeton |first5=Jessica |title=A Guide to the Global Agreement to End Plastic Pollution |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=July 2025 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/guide-to_global-agreement-end-plastic-pollution.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kantai2025guide, author = {Kantai, Tallash and Baršauskaitė, Ieva and Roy, Dimple and Paterson, Michael and Templeton, Jessica}, title = {{A Guide to the Global Agreement to End Plastic Pollution}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2025-07/guide-to_global-agreement-end-plastic-pollution.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }