A Nice Wake Up Call for an Ambitious Plastics Treaty provides more granular detail on how countries will deliver an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty
NICE, JUNE 10, 2025 — Today, over 90 UN Member States issued a declaration on the margins of the United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC). The Nice Wake Up Call for an Ambitious Plastics Treaty outlines five points that governments believe are critical to reach an agreement commensurate with science and calls from civil society: using a full lifecycle approach — including plastic production, phasing out chemicals of concern and problematic products, adding improvements to product design, developing effective means of implementation, and incorporating provisions that allow for a treaty that can evolve over time.
Following the release of the Wake Up Call, Andres del Castillo, Senior Attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), issued the following statement:
“It’s encouraging to see countries’ ministers come together to recommit to the red lines they drew in Busan. The Nice Wake Up Call for an Ambitious Plastics treaty shows that standing up for ambition was not a one-off event, but part of a trend, where countries are willing to come together to reinforce core elements for a strong treaty. Critically, Member States also express the need to use all the decision-making tools at their disposal, including voting. Such a step can potentially unshackle multilateral environmental spaces from the consensus-based tyranny that has prevented progress for decades.“The Wake Up Call should be seen as a floor, not a ceiling. For the Global Plastics Treaty to succeed, Member States must move beyond vague promises and define how they are going to deliver, including through clear, legally binding measures and a human rights-based approach. Come August in Geneva, political statements will not be enough. We must see Member States stand up to petrostate and fossil fuel interests on the floor of the negotiations. Their actions will speak louder than words.”
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Media Note:
Over 235 civil society and rights holder organizations issued a statement echoing how Member States can build on the declaration ahead of INC-5.2.
Press Contact:
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