The global plastic agreement has failed – and the plastic flood continues. Europe must now lead the way to reduce production, stop single-use plastic, and scale up the circular economy. TransformIT Europe 2026 is the place where we can implement solutions together.
By Jan Nintemann and Jochen Siegle; Photo: Naja Bertolt Jensen
For three years, around 180 states have negotiated. Three years during which millions of tons of plastic have entered our seas, rivers, and soils. And for what? For nothing. The final negotiations in Geneva ended in a disaster: No treaty, no commitments, no hope for rapid progress.
A Failure Foretold
It was already clear days ago: Positions are entrenched. More than 100 countries – the so-called High Ambition Coalition – wanted to drastically limit plastic production, ban single-use plastic, and advance a true circular economy. On the other side: oil states like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia, who profit from the raw material and prefer to clean up a bit at the waste end rather than addressing the problem at its source.
The result: A draft treaty from which almost all binding commitments had been removed – too weak, too ineffective. Even this was not adopted.
A Missed Opportunity – and Time We Don’t Have
The UN had formulated a clear mandate in 2022: The agreement should cover the entire life cycle of plastic – from production to design to disposal. What we got instead: an adjourned meeting without a new date.
It’s not the first time these negotiations have failed – there was no breakthrough in Busan back in December. The plastic industry and its allies have gained more time – time during which they continue to earn billions from products that poison our world.
Plastic: a Global Health and Climate Problem
500 million tons of plastic are produced every year. Without strict rules, it will be three times as much by 2060, warns the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Plastic kills marine animals, destroys ecosystems, and endangers our health. Micro- and nanoplastics end up in our organs, even in the brain, damaging the immune system, promoting inflammation, and clogging arteries.
Geneva is a Damning Indictment of the Global Community
This failure is not just embarrassing – it’s dangerous. We need an agreement that radically reduces production, bans single-use plastic, and holds companies accountable.
No agreement is certainly better than a toothless document. But no agreement also means: The plastic flood continues unchecked. Every day without rules is a day we exacerbate the crisis.
It’s time to massively increase the pressure – on governments, on corporations, on ourselves.
Why Europe Must Cooperate
No country can solve this problem alone. Trade, supply chains, and environmental consequences are global. Therefore, European cooperation is crucial to speak with a strong voice in international negotiations and to scale solutions across borders.
The Role of TransformIT Europe 2026
Trade fair and conference platforms like TransformIT Europe 2026 will be crucial: Here, technology providers, policy-makers, NGOs, industry, and startups meet to forge concrete projects and alliances – for a digital and sustainable transformation that also addresses the plastic crisis.
We cordially invite all stakeholders, innovators, and decision-makers to network in Brussels from May 5–8, 2026, to advance ideas and jointly develop solutions against the global plastic flood.