By:Abid SIDDIQUE CHAUDHRY
The World Ambassador
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August 4, 2025 – Geneva, Switzerland: One day before the final round of negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty, hundreds of citizens and civil society organizations from across the globe gathered at Place des Nations in Geneva to call for a strong, ambitious, and legally binding treaty — one that prioritizes people and the planet over polluters.
Organized by Greenpeace Switzerland, the Break Free From Plastic movement, the Gallifrey Foundation, and a broad coalition of environmental and social justice groups, the mobilization marked the beginning of the last phase of UN negotiations taking place from August 5 to 14 at the Palais des Nations.
Protesters dressed in yellow, red, and orange, symbolizing the urgency of the plastics crisis and the growing threat posed by the unchecked production of plastic — the majority of which is derived from fossil fuels.
“We Must End the Age of Plastic”
Joëlle Hérin, a consumption and circular economy expert at Greenpeace Switzerland, stated:
“As host country of the negotiations on plastic pollution, we count on Switzerland to remain firm on the ambition of the future Global Treaty.
With plastic production set to triple by 2050, the treaty will be doomed to fail if it lacks a global production reduction target.
We need to end the age of plastic to protect our health, our communities, and our planet.”
Fossil Fuel Lobby Under Fire
As negotiations begin, civil society groups are raising red flags about the fossil fuel industry’s outsized influence and are urging delegates to focus on upstream measures that address plastic production at the source.
Laurianne Trimoulla, Communications and Project Manager at the Gallifrey Foundation, shared a stark warning:
“During the last round of talks, we counted 221 lobbyists representing fossil fuel and petrochemical interests.
Had they formed a single delegation, it would have been the largest at the table, surpassing the EU and its Member States combined (191).
This overwhelming presence shows just how threatened these industries feel by a strong treaty.
Geneva, being a global hub for petrochemical trade, might see an even higher number this time.
Civil society is done with their manipulation and delay tactics.
The world can now clearly see: plastic pollution and the climate crisis are driven by the fossil fuel industry.
A handful of corporations are affecting billions of lives. We need a strong and enforceable treaty. Now. The world is watching.”
Waste Trade: A Global Injustice
Another central demand is an end to the unfair trade of plastic waste, which often burdens developing nations with toxic materials disguised as recycling.
Mageswari Sangaralingam of Sahabat Alam Malaysia highlighted this issue:
“A strong global plastics treaty is not just about reducing pollution — it’s our chance to end the injustice of waste trade.
No community should be a dumping ground for another’s excess.
The treaty must close the loopholes that disguise plastic waste exports as recycling.
For instance, Switzerland’s plastic waste exports to Malaysia increased by 271%, from 69,820 kg in 2022 to 258,897 kg in 2024.
This treaty must shift countries like Switzerland from exporting pollution to investing in real solutions and taking responsibility for their own waste.”
A Moment of Global Unity
The rally in Geneva stands as a powerful demonstration of global unity — with citizens and NGOs united in their determination to protect human health, uphold human rights, and defend ecosystems from the mounting plastic pollution crisis.
