Revisiting a Historic Opportunity to End Plastic Pollution

By DSE August 4, 2025

This week (August 5-14), representatives from the United Nations will begin final negotiations to establish a global treaty on plastic pollution. This is a historic opportunity to drastically reduce plastic pollution across the world. 

 

While the outcome of the final treaty remains unclear, DSE is revisiting our recent findings: a package of four key policies—working together across the entire plastic lifecycle—could nearly end plastic pollution. Our cutting-edge model predicts the global production, use, and fate of plastics through 2050. By 2050 this policy package would reduce mismanaged plastic waste by up to 91% and cut associated greenhouse gasses by one third. In November 2024 we published a relevant paper in Science with this research.

 

Decision-makers have been working together since 2022 to address what the United Nations calls “a serious environmental problem at a global scale.” Ultimately, leaders are working to create the first-ever international legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. We hope to see countries rally behind, and ultimately ratify, a strong global treaty to end plastic pollution.

 

If no action is taken, the annual plastic pollution generated in 2050 would be nearly double - growing to 121 million metric tons.
If no action is taken, the annual plastic pollution generated in 2050 would be nearly double - growing to 121 million metric tons.
Under a high ambition treaty, the annual plastic pollution generated in 2050 could be cut by more than 90% - dropping down to 10.8 million metric tons.
Under a high ambition treaty, the annual plastic pollution generated in 2050 could be cut by more than 90% - dropping down to 10.8 million metric tons.

 

For an interactive visual of our results, please visit https://plasticstreaty.berkeley.edu/. For more on our findings, and to read press coverage on our research, please click here.

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