FOA Statement on INC 5.2 2025

On 15 August 2025, delegates concluded the Geneva session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) without agreement on a global plastics treaty. Despite nearly three years of talks, strong scientific evidence, and overwhelming public support, the negotiations failed to deliver on the mandate established by the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA Resolution 5/14, 2022) to negotiate a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution across its full life cycle. As Friends of Ocean Action , we share the disappointment of high-ambition countries, Big Ocean States, civil society, and frontline communities who invested precious resources and trust in this process. The outcome reflects not a lack of commitment from the majority, but the complexity of addressing plastic pollution as a global challenge requiring scaled solutions and collective resolve. Better no treaty than a bad treaty. The global majority’s resistance to weak outcomes signals that negotiations are focused on the right elements: A legally binding plastics treaty must include measures to curb plastic at the source, address chemicals of concern, and secure financing for a just transition. These are essential to safeguard human health, protect vulnerable communities, and strengthen the resilience of the ocean. The INC Chair has announced that negotiations will resume at a later date. This pause cannot be a pause in action. Until global talks deliver, we urge progressive governments to drive forward at the national level—legislating the same targets they championed in Geneva and coordinating action across regions. National leadership and continued example-setting for global efforts is more important now than ever as a guarantee of credibility and momentum. Friends of Ocean Action remain committed to the treaty process and we will continue to mobilize our network of leaders and partnerships to support an ambitious outcome on curbing plastic pollution at the source. Friends of Ocean Action Statement on INC-5.2 No Plastics Treaty, But No Retreat from Ambition Friends of Ocean Action www.friendsofoceanaction.org