More than 200 lobbyists at UN’s plastic treaty talks will limit progress, campaigners warn

Major plastic-producing countries have been accused of ignoring environmental concerns before the talks begin in Geneva, Switzerland. Photograph: James Wakibia/Sopa Images/Shutterstock

More than 200 industry lobbyists are attending the UN’s meeting to hammer out a global plastics treaty, raising fears that moves to prevent runaway plastic production may be undermined.

The 234 lobbyists from the oil, petrochemical and plastics industries outnumber the combined delegations of all 27 EU member states, and far exceed the number of people attending with the delegation of scientists as well as Indigenous peoples at the Geneva talks.