Monterey Bay Aquarium applauds international call for an ambitious global plastics treaty

Monterey Bay Aquarium representatives attended the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference to advance conservation efforts. There, almost 100 countries and more than 200 international organizations publicly reaffirmed their commitment to push for an ambitious, universal, and effective plastics treaty. For the Aquarium team, who have worked for several years on a treaty, the endorsement marked a key turning point in ocean conservation.

Julie Packard, Executive Director and Founder of Monterey Bay Aquarium, who is on the ground in Nice, commented: "This is exactly the kind of political momentum we were hoping for ahead of the global plastics treaty negotiations in August. With plastic production projected to triple by 2060, we need a treaty with ambition that matches the scale of the plastic pollution crisis. During the final round of negotiations in August this year, we will need to see these political commitments translated into tangible, effective agreements."

The wide support of the “Nice Wake Up Call” demonstrates a strong collective resolve to end plastic pollution, for the sake of current and future generations, and the health of our planet. The call outlines five key priorities, grounded in research and driven by public demand:

• Adopting a global target to reduce production and consumption of primary plastics to sustainable levels.
• Agreeing to a legally binding obligation to phase out the most problematic plastic products and chemicals of concern in plastic products.
• Including a binding obligation to improve the design of plastic products to minimize environmental impact and safeguard human health.
• Mobilizing the necessary financial resources that will ensure that the treaty achieves its objective and supports achieving its provisions, guided by principles that hold polluters responsible for the costs of environmental damage they cause.
• Finalizing an effective and ambitious treaty that can evolve over time and is responsive to changes in emerging evidence and knowledge. 

Since the UN adopted its resolution on plastic pollution in 2022, the Aquarium has actively engaged in the treaty development process and has attended each intergovernmental negotiation meeting. Its Chief Conservation and Science Officer, Margaret Spring, also leads the International Science Committee (ISC) Expert Group on Plastic Pollution, composed of 16 experts from around the world, which recently outlined science-based recommendations to ensure the treaty is robust and effective. 

"Research continues to reveal the far-reaching impacts of plastic—on ocean health, human health, and our environment as a whole—including our climate," says Margaret Spring. "Plastics contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, harm marine organisms that help store carbon, and even alter how the planet reflects sunlight, absorbs heat, and retains warmth. The consequences are alarming, but we’re finally seeing a global awakening: the convenience of plastic comes with serious costs—to human health, the environment, and the economy.”

The work the Aquarium has done over the past few years has been instrumental in advancing global efforts to tackle plastic pollution. We hope the inspiring commitments made at this week’s UN Ocean Conference will help set the tone for the negotiations upcoming in August. This concluding phase of negotiations to develop a global plastics treaty is a pivotal moment for international cooperation and for bold, transformative agreements that protect our planet, our oceans, and people.

About Monterey Bay Aquarium

With a mission to inspire conservation of the ocean, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the most admired aquarium in the United States, a leader in science education, and a voice for ocean conservation through comprehensive programs in marine science and public policy. Everything we do works in concert to protect the future of our blue planet. More information at MontereyBayAquarium.org.