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Global plastic treaty collapses due to industry pressure: What can we learn from the tobacco control treaty
Summary
This commentary analyzes the collapse of global plastic treaty negotiations at INC-5.2 due to industry pressure, drawing lessons from the success of the tobacco control treaty Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and arguing that binding upstream production controls are necessary for effective plastic pollution governance.
Global plastic production has risen from 2 million metric tons in 1950 to over 400 million in 2022 and is projected to triple by 2060. Constituents like toxic additives to pervasive microplastics pose a major environmental and public health crisis. Yet international action remains fragmented. The UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) is drafting a global plastics treaty, but INC-5.2 (August 2025) revealed sharp divides. High-ambition states and civil society demand binding caps on virgin plastic, elimination of single-use plastics, and bans on hazardous additives, while oil-producing and manufacturing nations oppose upstream measures, prioritising recycling and waste management. Industry lobbyists have outnumbered many delegations, raising concerns of policy capture reminiscent of tobacco industry tactics before the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Lessons from the FCTC, particularly Article 5.3 safeguarding policymaking from vested interests, are vital. Without binding commitments and protection from corporate influence, the treaty risks being ineffective.