The world Ambassador : At the United Nations Ocean Conference held in Nice, over 90 member states endorsed a ministerial declaration titled “The Nice Wake-Up Call for an Ambitious Plastics Treaty.” The declaration urges the global community to adopt a legally binding target to reduce plastic production and consumption worldwide.
Graham Forbes, Head of Delegation to the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations and Global Plastics Campaign Lead at Greenpeace USA, hailed the declaration as a vital turning point.
“The Nice Declaration is the wake-up call the world needs,” Forbes said. “Governments are finally acknowledging the truth: we cannot end plastic pollution without reducing plastic production. Period.”
He emphasized that the declaration strikes at the root of the crisis—unchecked plastic production driven by fossil fuel interests—and sends a strong message to industry lobbyists.
Greenpeace welcomed the declaration’s push for a global cap on plastic production and stricter regulations to phase out hazardous plastics and toxic chemicals.
However, Forbes warned that meaningful progress hinges on follow-up action at the next round of treaty negotiations in Geneva (INC-5.2) this August.
“We need a treaty with teeth—one that slashes plastic production, holds polluters accountable, and protects frontline communities,” he added. “No more voluntary pledges or industry loopholes.”
The Nice Declaration marks growing global momentum toward a robust, legally binding treaty to address the plastics crisis and its environmental, health, and climate impacts.
