#BreakFreeFromPlastic POPLite Daily: Monday, November 25 2025

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Subject: #BreakFreeFromPlastic POPLite Daily: Monday, November 25 2025

Daily Summary of the Plastics Treaty Negotiations

Geneva, Switzerland | August 5, 2025

We observed the following high ✅ points:

✅ The International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Plastics hosted a press conference to amplify the experiences and expertise of grassroots leaders, whose voices have been minimized and silenced throughout the INC-5 and whose participation has become increasingly challenged.

✅ Ministers from France, the Federated States of Micronesia, China, Rwanda, and Norway are now in Busan, which hopefully will translate to more progress in the negotiations.

We observed the following low ❌ points:

❌ There has not been transparency in the INC-5 process. Right-holders, including those most impacted by plastic pollution, have been completely excluded from the negotiations for the last two days as delegations have been attending informal meetings. Despite spending so much time in closed-door conversations, countries have not yet come to an agreement.

❌ As of the time of the publication of this recap, the Chair has not yet released a revised proposal, making it harder to predict what outcome will result from the many hours countries have spent in informal meetings.

Today’s Champion is Malawi, the Philippines & Fiji

Let’s give a round of applause to our Champions of the day: the EU, Panama, and Fiji. They’re leading the charge for a strong and ambitious plastics treaty by not backing down from including production cuts and tackling chemicals of concern in the agreement. Panama even called out the low-ambition crowd to step aside if they’re not ready to stand up and work out a deal that addresses the root causes of this crisis. This is what courage looks like, folks! We’re cheering for other member states to join the party and for the Chair to finally step up and steer us away from a downward spiral of low expectations.

The distinction of Spoiler of the Day goes to India

Despite not being a Party to a majority of multilateral environmental agreements and with Donald Trump's promise to once again pull out of the Paris Agreement, the US claims it is negotiating an ambitious Treaty. This has translated into the US trying to insert language in the text that looks good on the surface but is non-binding and gives countries the "flexibility" to continue as usual. The US claims to be ambitious but has not stepped up as much as it said it would. It has so far rebuffed every proposal to take meaningful action by members of the High Ambition Coalition, including one made by Panama on binding measures to reduce plastic production. We hope they deliver on their promises and begin to show ambition. We want to call the US a champion before we leave Busan.

An activist holds a banner calling for cut in plastic production at the UN plastics talks (Greenpeace)

Greenpeace’s Bold Action in Busan

In a daring protest against the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries, Greenpeace activists boldly boarded a tanker at South Korea's Hanwha TotalEnergies complex, where toxic plastic chemicals were prepared for loading. At this critical juncture of the negotiations, the guerilla action urges governments worldwide to resist industry interference and push for a comprehensive treaty that would significantly reduce plastic production and address chemicals of concern.

Members of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Plastics demand to be heard at a plenary meeting on the third day of plastics treaty talks in South Korea (Image: Bingying / UNEP, BY NC SA)

Why Indigenous Peoples Must be a Part of the Treaty Negotiations

The International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Plastics held a powerful press conference where Indigenous Peoples, waste pickers and frontline and fenceline leaders shared solutions, as well as their demands and frustrations with the treaty process. It’s imperative for the Global Plastics Treaty to be rooted in Indigenous rights, which have been continuously violated over centuries. Indigenous people are not victims but rights holders who maintain an intimate relationship with the land and hold solutions for the best path forward.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Plastics Treaty negotiations!

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Subject: #BreakFreeFromPlastic POPLite Daily: Monday, November 25 2025