UN plastics treaty negotiations (INC-5, Geneva, Nairobi, Bangkok)
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
Two formal rounds of negotiations on a UN plastics treaty, in Busan in 2024 and Geneva in 2025, ended without agreement. Industry lobbyists outnumbered some national delegations, and a production cap remained in square brackets in the chair's 2026 text.
Lobbyist count by CIEL; EU and member-state delegation size as reported by IPEN. At Busan: 220 lobbyists vs 140 delegates for host Korea.
Status As of the end of September 2026: two formal rounds ended without agreement, a new chair was elected in February 2026, and informal meetings in Nairobi and Bangkok left the production cap in square brackets; the next formal round is reported for March 2027 but is unconfirmed.
- Fossil-fuel and chemical industry delegations — Registered 220 lobbyists at Busan and 234 at Geneva; no production cap was agreed IPEN
- States opposing a production cap (a Saudi Arabia-led bloc) — No production cap in the agreed text; the cap remained in square brackets in the chair's August 2026 text IPEN
What happened
The fifth session of the UN committee negotiating a plastics treaty (INC-5) was held in Busan, South Korea, from 25 November to 1 December 2024 and ended without agreement. The Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL) counted 220 registered fossil-fuel and chemical industry lobbyists there, more than the 140 delegates of the host country; the previous session had 196. Earth Journalism Network reported that the largest representations were Dow, ExxonMobil, BASF and SABIC.
The resumed session in Geneva (INC-5.2) ended in the early morning of 15 August 2025, again without agreement. Trade press reported that more than 100 countries backed a cap on production, and that Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran and others opposed it. IPEN reported that a Saudi Arabia-led bloc of like-minded countries opposed both a production cap and a vote, and that Kuwait said the text crossed its red lines. CIEL counted 234 industry lobbyists in Geneva, more than the combined delegation of the EU and its 27 member states (233); Dow and the American Chemistry Council had seven each and ExxonMobil six. Nineteen of the 234 were on official country delegations.
The chair, Luis Vayas Valdivieso of Ecuador, resigned in October 2025. A one-day session (INC-5.3) in Geneva on 7 February 2026 elected Julio Cordano of Chile as chair, with 63% of the vote according to OceanCare. Informal meetings followed. At a heads-of-delegation meeting in Nairobi (30 June–3 July 2026), Saudi Arabia, the United States, Russia and India asked for the treaty to cover only waste management, according to Climate Home News, and the chair's list of topics did not include production. In Bangkok (27–30 September 2026) heads of delegation met again; the production cap remained in square brackets in the chair's August 2026 “Aid to Negotiations” document.
Separately, the State of California sued ExxonMobil in 2024 over its plastics-recycling claims. The suit and ExxonMobil's counter-suit were both pending in the record.
- 2024Busan (INC-5), 25 Nov–1 Dec: no agreement; 220 industry lobbyists registered
- 2024California sues ExxonMobil over plastics-recycling claims (23 Sep, San Francisco Superior Court)
- 2025Geneva (INC-5.2) ends around 6 am on 15 Aug without agreement; 234 industry lobbyists registered
- 2025Chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso resigns (October)
- 20267 Feb: INC-5.3 in Geneva elects Julio Cordano as chair; March: roadmap issued; 30 Jun–3 Jul: heads of delegation meet in Nairobi; August: chair's “Aid to Negotiations” text, production cap in square brackets; 27–30 Sep: heads of delegation meet in Bangkok
What was said
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
At Geneva the bloc opposed a production cap and a vote; Kuwait said the text crossed its red lines.
IPENAt the Nairobi informal meeting (June–July 2026) asked for waste management only.
Climate Home NewsBacked a cap on plastic production at Geneva in August 2025.
Packaging InsightsThe chair's topic list at Nairobi did not include production, and the August 2026 “Aid to Negotiations” left the production cap in square brackets.
Renewable MatterSay the chair's text weakens production measures.
Counted 220 registered fossil-fuel and chemical industry lobbyists at Busan and 234 at Geneva.
CIELAt Geneva the 234 industry lobbyists outnumbered the combined delegation of the EU and its 27 member states (233).
IPENNineteen of the 234 lobbyists were on official country delegations.
Sustainability OnlineThe suit says almost all waste entering the facility leaves as fuel rather than plastic, and that the quantity returned as plastic is under 1% of ExxonMobil's virgin capacity.
Says advanced recycling works at Baytown, and countersued the Attorney General for defamation.
How it looked
Shown
- A pledge to end plastic waste: 15 million tonnes and USD 1.5 billionAlliance to End Plastic Waste (industry alliance)
- Advanced recycling at the Baytown facility described as workingExxonMobil
Recorded
- Busan (INC-5): 220 registered fossil-fuel and chemical industry lobbyists; host Korea had 140 delegates; the previous session (INC-4) had 196.
- Geneva (INC-5.2): 234 registered fossil-fuel and chemical industry lobbyists, more than the EU and its 27 member states combined (233); Dow and the American Chemistry Council had 7 each, ExxonMobil 6.
- Geneva (INC-5.2): 19 of the 234 lobbyists were on official country delegations (CIEL count).
- Geneva (INC-5.2): trade press reported that both of the chair's drafts were rejected and that the December 2024 chair's text remains the fallback.
- INC-5.2 in Geneva ended without consensus; the next session was put off to 2026.
- Nairobi informal meeting: Saudi Arabia, the United States, Russia and India asked for waste management only; the chair's topic list did not include production.
- The chair's August 2026 “Aid to Negotiations” left the production cap in square brackets; NGOs say the text weakens production measures.
- The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) had pledged 15 million tonnes and USD 1.5 billion; figures dated 8 September 2026 and attributed to AAP and AEPW show 378,147 tonnes, about 2.5% of the pledge.
- Saudi Arabia is reported to recycle a small share of its own waste (3–4%).
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- exxonmobil (2024): Says advanced recycling works at its Baytown facility; countersued the California Attorney General for defamation.
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2024-09-23–OngoingCalifornia v. ExxonMobil (plastics-recycling claims)San Francisco Superior Court · Civil · State of California (Attorney General) → ExxonMobil
The complaint alleges nuisance, unfair competition, water pollution and false environmental marketing. The Attorney General said the plastics crisis is fuelled by a recycling myth. ExxonMobil countersued the Attorney General for defamation; both cases were pending.
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Accounts
Record
- Insufficient The date and venue of the next formal round: reported as 13–24 March 2027, but the dates and venue of INC-5.4 are unconfirmed.
- None on record How much the Alliance to End Plastic Waste has actually spent by its own accounts: not found; a figure of $375m comes through the outlet Unearthed.
- Unclear No ruling in the California v. ExxonMobil suit is recorded; both the suit and the counter-suit are pending.
- None on record Japan's stance on a production cap: not found in the sources.
Did the harm stop?
Not applicable: the negotiations have not produced an agreed text, and the sources record no limit on plastic production.
Who paid?
Not established in the sources.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Lobbyists form largest delegation at the plastics treaty negotiations in BusanEarth Journalism Network · 2024-11
- INC-5.2 plastic treaty failurePackaging Insights · 2025-08
- UN plastics treaty talks restart with production curbs in doubtClimate Home News · 2026-06-30
- Plastics treaty: Cordano presents Aid to Negotiations but disappoints scienceRenewable Matter · 2026-09
- Strong presence of lobbyists overshadows INC-5.2 plastics talksSustainability Online · 2025-08
Communities and civil society
- Plastic talks end without consensusIPEN · 2025-08
- INC-5.3 plastics treaty negotiationsOceanCare · 2026-02
International bodies
- New chair elected to lead negotiations on global plastic pollution treatyUN Environment Programme · 2026-02
Connected cases
- Alliance to End Plastic Waste and Renew Oceans (Ganges) India · 2019–2026
- Dow (Company) — here: Seven registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Founding member; named among five members compared by Unearthed
- Alliance to End Plastic Waste (Association) — here: Industry alliance with a 15-million-tonne pledge; there: Industry alliance; launched January 2019
- Ocean Conservancy withdraws 2015 plastic incineration recommendation Global · 2015–2022
- Dow (Company) — here: Seven registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Co-funder of the 2015 report
- American Chemistry Council (Association) — here: Trade association; seven registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Co-funder of the 2015 report
- American Chemistry Council proposed Kenya as Africa's plastics hub in 2020 Kenya · 2019–2021
- American Chemistry Council (Association) — here: Trade association; seven registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Sent the April 2020 letter proposing Kenya as a plastics hub
- Bien Hoa dioxin cleanup and Agent Orange suit (Tran To Nga) Vietnam · 2020
- Dow (Company) — here: Seven registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Defendant named in the French suit
- Coca-Cola plastic pledges and brand audits United States · 2018
- Alliance to End Plastic Waste (Association) — here: Industry alliance with a 15-million-tonne pledge; there: Industry alliance, subject of a Greenpeace analysis
- COP28 decision promoted carbon capture and left room for transition fuels United Arab Emirates · 2023
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Member of the Global CCS Institute
- Dow to cut air pollution at four US chemical plants under Clean Air Act settlement United States · 2021
- Dow (Company) — here: Seven registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: company party to the settlement
- DuPont CFC phase-out and the ozone treaty United States · 1974–2019
- UN Environment Programme (International organisation) — here: Convenes the negotiations; issued the announcement of the new chair; there: Hosts the Montreal Protocol ozone secretariat
- EU narrows supply-chain law and delays deforestation rule twice European Union · 2024–2026
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Named in leaked documents on the supply-chain law
- ExxonMobil completes USD 4.9 billion purchase of Denbury CO2 pipelines United States · 2020–2023
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Acquirer of Denbury for USD 4.9 billion, completed 2 November 2023
- ExxonMobil cut and restored Kearl oil-sands reserves as oil prices moved Canada · 2016–2021
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Reporting company
- ExxonMobil sues California attorney general and four green groups for defamation United States · 2025
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Plaintiff in the defamation suit
- Former EPA chief Lisa Jackson named interim chair of Conservation International United States · 2012–2026
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Listed a Conservation International director in its 2026 proxy
- Gaza reconstruction and the Board of Peace's first contract Palestine (Gaza Strip) · 2024–2026
- UN Environment Programme (International organisation) — here: Convenes the negotiations; issued the announcement of the new chair; there: Estimated rubble clearance time and cost
- Gorgon LNG carbon storage fell short; gap closed with credits Australia · 2006
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Gorgon partner (IEEFA)
- Half-Earth and 30x30 advocacy funding (Wyss Campaign for Nature) Global · 2016–2026
- UN Environment Programme (International organisation) — here: Convenes the negotiations; issued the announcement of the new chair; there: Co-author of the Protected Planet Report 2024
- Hefty EnergyBag plastic marketed as recycling was burned in cement kilns United States · 2017–2020
- Dow (Company) — here: Seven registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: programme partner
- Hill & Knowlton and Edelman: PR for fossil fuel clients and climate summits Egypt · 2005–2025
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: agency client
- Hill & Knowlton, the Frank Statement and the TIRC United States · 1953–2022
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Client at the time of COP27
- Keep America Beautiful founding and Crying Indian ad (US) United States · 1953–2023
- Dow (Company) — here: Seven registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Partner in the Hefty EnergyBag programme
- Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine; Wiwa v Shell Nigeria · 1958–2026
- UN Environment Programme (International organisation) — here: Convenes the negotiations; issued the announcement of the new chair; there: Author of the 2011 Ogoniland assessment
- Kivalina village in Alaska still awaits relocation after 2008 suit against ExxonMobil United States · 1992–2026
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Defendant in the 2008 suit
- Mobil advertorials cast doubt on climate science; media studios later sold oil content United States · 1970–2023
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Ran Mobil and ExxonMobil advertorials and sponsored content
- Net Zero Banking Alliance exits and closure International · 2023–2026
- UN Environment Programme (International organisation) — here: Convenes the negotiations; issued the announcement of the new chair; there: UN body whose statement on the 2023 insurer exits was reported
- Net-Zero Insurance Alliance collapse and insurers’ fossil underwriting Global · 2021–2025
- UN Environment Programme (International organisation) — here: Convenes the negotiations; issued the announcement of the new chair; there: Convener of NZIA
- Ogoniland and Bodo spills clean-up (SPDC, HYPREP) Nigeria · 1958–2026
- UN Environment Programme (International organisation) — here: Convenes the negotiations; issued the announcement of the new chair; there: Author of the 2011 assessment and fund proposal
- Plant-for-the-Planet: 13.6 billion trees Germany / Global · 2011–2024
- UN Environment Programme (International organisation) — here: Convenes the negotiations; issued the announcement of the new chair; there: Original owner of the tree campaign
- Study finds Exxon's internal papers accepted warming; its advertorials cast doubt United States · 1977
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: company whose documents and advertorials were analyzed
- TASSC, Tozzi and Milloy: a tobacco-funded 'sound science' campaign United States · 1993–2003
- American Chemistry Council (Association) — here: Trade association; seven registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Successor to the Chemical Manufacturers Association, which published the 1991 guideline
- UNEP estimate: about 2,000 tons of depleted uranium used in Iraq Iraq · date not stated
- UN Environment Programme (International organisation) — here: Convenes the negotiations; issued the announcement of the new chair; there: Estimated the quantity of uranium used (about 2,000 tons)
- US chemical recycling plants run far below capacity, and some have closed United States · 2024–2025
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: Operator of the Baytown plant
- US SEC switches oil reserve pricing to a 12-month average in 2008 United States · 2008–2021
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: reported reserve reductions (not verified)
- US Supreme Court hears Boulder County's climate suit against Suncor and Exxon United States · 2018
- ExxonMobil (Company) — here: Defendant in California suit; six registered lobbyists at Geneva; there: defendant and petitioner