More than 200 industry lobbyists are attending the UN’s meeting to hammer out a global plastics treaty, raising fears that moves to prevent runaway plastic production may be undermined. “Fossil fuel companies are central to plastic production, as over 99% of plastics are derived from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels,” said Ximena Banegas, Ciel’s global plastics and petrochemicals campaigner. The numbers of lobbyists attending the talks has been rising steadily since the process started in 2022, alongside deepening rifts between nations. Photograph: James Wakibia/SOPA Images/ShutterstockOn the one hand is a cohort of more than 100 nations that say they want an ambitious treaty including, among other things, global targets to reduce plastic production. Ciel’s analysis shows several lobbyists appear on government delegations from where they can actively sculpt the treaty text.

Source: The Guardian August 07, 2025 22:10 UTC