Ocean Conference: Wake-Up Call for Ambitious Plastics Treaty
On 10th June 2025, during the third UN Ocean Conference in Nice, 96 countries signed the “Nice Wake-Up Call for an Ambitious Plastics Treaty” Ministerial declaration. This declaration urges nations to negotiate a strong, legally binding global Plastics Treaty to address plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle, from production to disposal. The declaration at Ministerial level emphasises the need for global reduction targets, phasing out toxic chemicals, and promoting sustainable product design. These efforts are crucial for mitigating the escalating environmental, biodiversity, climate, and health impacts of plastic pollution.
The NICE Declaration serves as a political push by Ministers ahead of the upcoming Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC5.2) meeting in Geneva in August 2025, where negotiations on the global plastics treaty will resume. The declaration highlights the urgency of the plastic crisis, noting that 460 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually, a figure that could triple by 2060 if no action is taken.
Key aspects of the declaration include:
- A full lifecycle approach: The treaty should address plastic production, consumption, disposal, and pollution.
- Global reduction targets: Establishing targets to reduce plastic production and consumption to sustainable levels.
- Phasing out toxic chemicals: Eliminating harmful chemicals used in plastic production.
- Sustainable product design: Promoting designs that minimize plastic waste and facilitate recycling.
- Financial mechanisms: Ensuring financial resources are available to support treaty implementation.
- Scientific evidence: The treaty should be flexible and adapt to new scientific findings.
Crucially, the declaration affirms the need for voting procedures when consensus cannot be reached — a clear message that the process must not be held hostage by a handful of low-ambition states.
Fabienne McLellan, Managing Director at OceanCare says: “The declaration signals strong political will and growing momentum for an ambitious global Plastics Treaty, recognising that voluntary efforts alone are insufficient to tackle the plastic crisis. Since negotiations began in 2022, more than 30 million tonnes of plastic have entered the ocean. The urgency is undeniable—and the credibility of this treaty process now depends on outcomes, not intentions.”
The upcoming Treaty negotiations will be crucial in determining the strength and effectiveness of the final treaty text.
Civil Society to Governments: The Treaty Must Deliver More
As governments signal momentum through the NICE Declaration, over 230 civil society organisations, including OceanCare, have endorsed a strong and urgent message in a separate Civil Society Statement:
This statement supports the NICE Declaration but insists it must be a floor, not a ceiling. The statement warns that consensus for its own sake risks inaction. It urges governments to use all available tools — including voting — to secure legally binding, enforceable global rules at INC-5.2.