This blog post was written by Ryann Jibson, a 2024 EarthEcho Marine Plastics Ambassador.

My fellow Marine Plastics Ambassador Aana Shenai, our fearless leader Sam Athey, and I have just returned from Geneva, Switzerland, where we had boots on the ground at the INC-5.2 negotiations toward a global plastics treaty.

Beyond drafting policy briefs and keeping our communities informed back home, our presence alone carried weight. Showing up made it clear: youth care deeply about the outcome of these negotiations, and we must have a seat at the table. 

We were fortunate to participate in the opening days of negotiations. Here we saw power dynamics quickly begin to take shape, and groups like the "like-minded" coalition start to emerge. Encouragingly, we also saw a growing willingness from countries to engage with youth voices and advocate for our values.

Yet, after two intense weeks of what were intended to be the final negotiations, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee was unable to reach a consensus on a global plastics treaty. While disappointing, the outcome in many ways is unsurprising given the deliberate delay tactics from nations closely aligned with fossil fuel interests.

As the negotiations drew to a close, it was clear that the treaty was steadily becoming weakened. Proposals critical to addressing the full life cycle of plastics, such as those pertaining to upstream production and fossil fuel feedstocks, were either diluted or removed entirely. 

However, amid the pressure to accept a watered-down agreement, several countries stood firm. These nations, guided by the voices of youth, scientists, Indigenous communities, and their communities who are on the frontlines of the plastics crisis, refused to compromise. They recognized that a weak treaty would be worse than no treaty at all.

This principled resistance ultimately led to a deadlock, with no clear path forward. While this outcome has left many feeling frustrated and disheartened, it also signals something important: that there remains a coalition of actors unwilling to legitimize half-measures in the face of a planetary crisis. The road ahead is uncertain, but the fight for a strong, binding global treaty on plastics is far from over. This is not a failure.

Over the past two weeks, we’ve witnessed an unprecedented level of youth unity and action. Together, we’ve strategized, collaborated, and reached more people than ever before. Our network is the strongest it has ever been, and we've firmly established ourselves as key stakeholders in this process. While this outcome was not what we hoped for, after a moment of rest, you can expect the youth to return more empowered, more focused, and more determined than ever.

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