Towards an international treaty on plastic pollution
Aotearoa New Zealand continues to contribute to global efforts to address plastic pollution through the development of an international treaty.
The fifth round of negotiations began today in Geneva, Switzerland, and will run until 14 August. New Zealand delegates are participating alongside representatives from around the world.
In March 2022, 193 nations UN member states endorsed a historic decision to negotiate the treaty. This led to the establishment of an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to guide the process.
While the aim was to agree to a treaty by the end of 2024, a treaty was not adopted at the last session held in December 2024 in Busan, Republic of Korea.
New Zealand remains committed to supporting the development of an effective treaty that addresses plastic pollution across the entire lifecycle of plastics. Our delegates are advocating for a treaty grounded in waste hierarchy principles, including avoiding the generation of plastic waste in the first place.
In November 2022, New Zealand also joined the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution. Members of the High Ambition Coalition share a common vision to end plastic pollution by 2040.