MANILA—After two years of negotiations, governments in Geneva failed to agree on a Global Plastics Treaty strong enough to tackle the plastic crisis, Greenpeace Philippines said.

Marian Ledesma, Greenpeace Philippines’ Zero Waste Campaigner attending the talks, described the outcome as “not progress; it’s paralysis,” noting that plastic production continues to rise unchecked.

“Every day of delay lets the fossil fuel and plastic industry escape accountability, while communities like ours are left to pick up the pieces and pay the price,” Ledesma said.

She accused fossil fuel and plastics lobbyists of undermining the negotiations, preventing the adoption of a strong, legally binding treaty that would cut plastic production, protect human health, provide equitable financing, and address the full lifecycle of plastics.

“Too much is at stake. The Philippines cannot afford to sit still while waiting for the treaty to be finalized when Filipinos have been unjustly enduring the health, social, and environmental costs of plastic pollution for decades,” Ledesma said. She called for national action, including holding plastic-polluting corporations accountable, phasing out single-use plastics, and scaling up reuse and refill systems.

“Anything less is surrendering our future to plastic,” she added.