Model UN Background Guide

Committee: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Topic: Plastic Pollution Treaty

Conference Year: 2025

Topic Background

Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of the 21st century. Since the mass production of plastics began in the mid-20th century, global plastic consumption has increased exponentially, with over 300 million tons produced annually today. A significant portion of this plastic ends up in natural environments, especially oceans, where it harms marine life, disrupts ecosystems, and enters the human food chain through microplastics.

The issue gained international prominence with high-profile scientific reports and media coverage highlighting the scale and severity of plastic pollution. Environmental degradation attributed to plastics has been linked to biodiversity loss, threats to fisheries, and negative impacts on coastal economies. Despite numerous voluntary initiatives and national policies aimed at reducing plastic waste, global plastic production and pollution have continued to rise.

The urgency to address plastic pollution has intensified due to growing scientific consensus on its long-term environmental and health impacts, as well as increasing public awareness and advocacy. In 2022, UNEP convened an intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) to draft a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution, marking a historic step toward international cooperation. The treaty aims to tackle the entire plastic lifecycle—from production and design to waste management and cleanup—reflecting a comprehensive approach beyond previous fragmented efforts.

The 2025 UNEP session is critical as member states seek to finalize and adopt the treaty text. This agenda item reflects the international community’s recognition that only a coordinated, multilateral response can effectively stem the tide of plastic pollution and protect planetary health for future generations.

Key Actors

States

• European Union (EU) member states: The EU has been a frontrunner in plastic regulation, with ambitious policies such as the Single-Use Plastics Directive and strong advocacy for a global treaty. Germany, France, and the Netherlands are particularly active in pushing for strict reduction targets and circular economy principles.
• United States: Although historically more cautious about binding global environmental agreements, the U.S. has increased engagement under recent administrations, supporting cooperative frameworks while emphasizing innovation and private sector involvement.
• China: As the world’s largest plastic producer and consumer, China plays a pivotal role. It has implemented domestic bans on certain plastic products and waste imports and advocates for balanced approaches that consider economic development needs.
• Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Countries like the Maldives, Seychelles, and Fiji are severely impacted by marine plastic pollution and strongly support ambitious treaty provisions for marine protection and financial assistance.
• India and Brazil: Emerging economies with growing plastic consumption but also significant waste management challenges. They emphasize capacity-building, technology transfer, and financial support to meet treaty obligations.

International Organizations (IOs)

• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): The leading UN body coordinating global environmental governance and facilitating treaty negotiations.
• International Maritime Organization (IMO): Relevant for regulations on plastic waste from ships and marine pollution control.
• World Health Organization (WHO): Engaged due to concerns about microplastics’ impact on human health.
• World Trade Organization (WTO): Monitors potential trade implications of plastic restrictions and bans.
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Groups such as the Plastic Pollution Coalition and Ocean Conservancy provide research, advocacy, and technical expertise.

Bloc Positions

1. Environmental Advocates Bloc (EU, SIDS, Nordic countries)

• Support a legally binding treaty with clear, enforceable targets on plastic production reduction, single-use plastic bans, and extended producer responsibility.
• Advocate for comprehensive lifecycle approaches, including design innovation, waste reduction, and cleanup efforts.
• Call for strong financial mechanisms to assist developing countries in waste management infrastructure and technology transfer.
• Emphasize transparency, monitoring, and accountability measures.

2. Developing and Emerging Economies Bloc (India, Brazil, South Africa, Southeast Asian countries)

• Stress the need for flexibility in treaty commitments to accommodate economic development and poverty alleviation priorities.
• Highlight the importance of capacity building, technical assistance, and financial support from developed countries.
• Advocate for phased implementation timelines and recognition of informal waste sectors in their countries.
• Support circular economy principles but caution against overly stringent restrictions that could hamper growth.

3. Industrial and Plastic-Producing States Bloc (China, United States, Russia, Gulf States)

• Favor pragmatic, market-based solutions including innovation, voluntary industry commitments, and public-private partnerships.
• Prefer a treaty framework that allows national sovereignty over plastic regulation rather than prescriptive global mandates.
• Support efforts to improve waste management and recycling but resist binding production caps or bans.
• Emphasize the importance of trade considerations and avoiding barriers to plastic-related commerce.

4. Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Vulnerable States Bloc

• Focus on the disproportionate impacts of plastic pollution on their environments and livelihoods.
• Demand guaranteed financial and technical assistance for waste management and pollution cleanup.
• Advocate for recognition of their limited capacities and the need for international solidarity.
• Support strong marine protection measures and global cooperation on ocean plastics.

Past UN Action

• UNEP Governing Council Decisions: UNEP has passed multiple non-binding decisions encouraging member states to reduce plastic pollution and improve waste management (e.g., UNEP GC decisions in the 2010s).
• UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolutions: The UNEA has adopted several resolutions calling for global action on marine plastic litter and microplastics, culminating in the historic 2022 resolution to establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee for a global treaty.
• INC Negotiations (2022-2024): The intergovernmental negotiating committee has held several sessions to draft the treaty text, focusing on scope, definitions, financial mechanisms, and implementation modalities.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) provide a framework linking plastic pollution to broader sustainable development objectives.

Questions a Resolution Should Answer

1. What specific measures should the treaty include to address the entire lifecycle of plastics, from production to disposal?
2. How can the treaty balance binding commitments with flexibility to accommodate different national circumstances and development levels?
3. What financial mechanisms and technology transfer provisions are necessary to support developing countries and vulnerable states?
4. How should the treaty address the role of the private sector, including producers and retailers, in reducing plastic pollution?
5. What monitoring, reporting, and enforcement mechanisms will ensure compliance and accountability?
6. How will the treaty coordinate with existing international frameworks, such as the IMO and WTO, to avoid overlap or conflicts?
7. What provisions should be included to protect marine environments and human health from plastic pollution, including microplastics?

Further Reading

UN Documents

• Official UNEP reports and resolutions on plastic pollution and marine litter provide foundational knowledge on international environmental governance and negotiations. These include UNEA resolutions and INC meeting summaries.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) reports contextualize plastic pollution within broader global sustainability efforts.

Think-Tank Reports

• Environmental policy institutes and research centers publish in-depth analyses on plastic pollution’s impacts, treaty options, and implementation challenges. These reports often include case studies, economic assessments, and policy recommendations.
• Specialized organizations focusing on circular economy and waste management provide technical insights into innovative solutions and best practices.

News Outlets

• International news media and environmental journalism track the evolving negotiations, stakeholder positions, and public debates surrounding the plastic pollution treaty.
• Coverage often highlights regional impacts, industry responses, and civil society activism, offering real-time perspectives on the issue’s political dynamics.

This background guide aims to equip delegates with a comprehensive understanding of the plastic pollution treaty’s context, key players, and critical issues to facilitate informed and effective debate in UNEP 2025.