ICC: Although No Agreement Reached, We Are Not Leaving Empty Handed

August 15, 2025, Geneva, Switzerland

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting (INC) 5.2 in Geneva, Switzerland taking place from August 5 to 15, 2025, was supposed to be the last session of the negotiations to reach a treaty on plastic pollution. After very late nights, a new draft treaty text was finally introduced in the early morning of August 15th. However, states were not able to reach agreement, ending the meeting with an unclear result.

“The INC 5.2 has been a true roller coaster. The ambition of a global plastics treaty failed in several terms: addressing the life cycle of plastics, agreeing on phasing down the use of harmful chemicals and minimizing production of plastics. It ended with no result. But we are not leaving empty-handed,” says the Chair of Inuit Circumpolar Council, Sara Olsvig.

During the night between August 14 and 15, and in the last hours of the negotiations, a new iteration of the text was introduced. 

“Earlier in meeting we were presented with a draft that omitted clear and affirmative language on Indigenous Peoples, our rights and knowledge. After a strong push and advocacy by the Indigenous Caucus, stronger language on the rights of Indigenous Peoples was included. This means that we have a stronger foundation now than when we arrived in Geneva,” says Olsvig.

The latest text indicates agreement of countries to protect the environment and human health and mentions the life cycle of plastics in the objective of the treaty. However, there is no agreement on binding measures on crucial areas, such as plastic production and the use of toxic chemicals, as well as financial measures.

No meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples and observers

The negotiations process at this last negotiation session was chaotic and did not improve from the previous sessions. Indigenous Peoples and observers were largely excluded, only allowed to speak for 30 minutes in total at the opening plenary. They were not allowed to intervene or contribute during technical group discussions, and were completely excluded from informal discussions throughout the negotiations.  

“We both need a strong treaty that minimizes the exponentially growing pollution from plastics and includes a human rights approach, addressing the disproportionate harms on the health and well-being of Inuit and other Indigenous Peoples. Therefore, it is important that Indigenous Peoples and observers are included in the deliberations. Although we have had a good communication with states in the past weeks, the closed-door negotiations we have witnessed are not acceptable,” says Olsvig.

At the final plenary, observer interventions were briefly started and then quickly suspended, following the abrupt adjourning of the meeting by the Chair in the morning of August 15^th. A path forward remains uncertain. 

The work will continue

“The path ahead is unclear at this point, but we expect that a continuation of the negotiations will take place sometime next year. The text presented at the late hours of negotiations today should form the foundation for continued negotiations, so we uphold the strengthened language on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. The meeting in Geneva has demonstrated the importance of our persistent push and a coordinated global Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus. ICC will continue engaging actively in the advocacy for an ambitious and global legally binding treaty to end plastics pollution,” Sara Olsvig concludes. 

Throughout the three years of negotiations so far, ICC has actively taken part in all the negotiation sessions, the associated work, and has spoken at numerous related events. ICC will continue to engage actively with state representatives and the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Plastics to achieve a meaningful and inclusive treaty on plastic pollution that protects Indigenous rights, human health, and the environment.

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ICC is an international Indigenous Peoples’ Organization, founded in 1977 to strengthen unit among Inuit of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Chukotka. ICC promotes Inuit rights and interests at the international level, develops and encourages long-term policies that safeguard the Arctic environment and seeks full and effective participation and meaningful engagement in the political, economic, and social development of the Arctic region.

ICC holds Consultative Status II at the United Nations Economic and Social Council, is a co-founder and Permanent Participant at the Arctic Council, an Observer at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and holds Provisional Consultative Status at the International Maritime Organization alongside other advisory and consultative roles across numerous international fora.