At the UN: USS researcher joins final negotiations for a Global Treaty on Plastic Pollution
At the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, USS researcher Dr. Karla Pozo is representing Chile in the final round of negotiations for a legally binding global treaty to combat plastic pollution, contributing scientific expertise and fostering international cooperation.
Representing academia and as part of the Chilean delegation, Dr. Karla Pozo, researcher at the School of Engineering of Universidad San Sebastián (USS), is taking part in the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2). Convened by the United Nations, this meeting aims to develop an international legally binding instrument to address plastic pollution, including its impact on the marine environment.
Held from 5–14 August at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, INC-5.2 marks the decisive stage of a process launched in 2022, bringing together delegations from over 170 countries. Negotiators are working to finalize the treaty text, which will set commitments to reduce plastic production and consumption, eliminate hazardous additives, improve product design for reuse and recycling, manage waste safely, and secure financing and implementation mechanisms. Discussions also cover measures to address existing pollution, support a just transition that includes waste pickers and vulnerable communities, and foster scientific and technological cooperation among nations.
This is the final opportunity to resolve outstanding issues before the diplomatic conference, where countries are expected to adopt the treaty. The outcome will determine the ambition and effectiveness of the agreement in transforming how the world produces, consumes, and manages plastics.
INC-5.2 has also highlighted tensions between high-ambition countries—pushing for production limits, chemical phase-outs, and circular economy measures—and those advocating a more gradual approach. In this context, Dr. Pozo’s participation is particularly relevant, bringing Chile’s scientific perspective and the expertise of SPLACH (Scientific Plastic Pollution Alliance of Chile), a network of 12 universities researching microplastics and emerging pollutants in marine ecosystems.
“Taking part in this meeting is crucial to tackling the growing plastic pollution problem at both national and global levels through scientific collaboration. In recent years, the presence of microplastics in all environmental matrices has raised alarm, and Chile is not exempt from this contamination. This treaty seeks to promote a transition to a sustainable economy, hold countries accountable for their plastic waste, eliminate problematic plastic products and harmful chemicals, foster innovation in materials, and safeguard environmental and human health for future generations,” says Dr. Pozo.
Background and international engagement
With over two decades of experience in the study of persistent organic pollutants, Dr. Pozo has spent the last decade focusing on plastic pollution and its impacts on aquatic environments. She has been part of the Chilean delegation in previous INC sessions, such as INC-2 in Paris (2023) and INC-3 in Nairobi (2023), providing technical support to Chile’s position. Her contributions have focused on reducing plastic production, eliminating toxic additives, regulating waste trade, and ensuring the participation of civil society and affected communities in the treaty’s development.
