By Bunmi Yekini
Countries meeting in Geneva on Friday elected Chilean diplomat Julio Cordano as chair of the United Nations negotiations to forge a global treaty on plastic pollution, filling a leadership vacuum at a critical stage of the talks.
Cordano, director of environment, climate change and oceans at Chile’s foreign ministry, takes over after Ecuador’s Ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso resigned late last year. His departure followed mounting criticism from governments and observers who said the process had lacked transparency and stalled ambition despite growing momentum for tougher action.
Civil society groups said the change in leadership must mark a reset for negotiations aimed at addressing plastic pollution across its entire life cycle, from fossil fuel extraction and production to use and disposal.
“As Mr. Cordano takes the helm, he must chart a different course,” said members of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), urging the new chair to restore trust through transparency, neutrality and inclusive decision-making, including meaningful access for civil society.
Campaigners say the treaty’s credibility hinges on whether countries uphold their original commitment to a comprehensive, legally binding agreement that prioritises science, human rights and leadership from the Global South over corporate and petro-state interests.
“The election of the new chair is an important step towards progress, but a treaty that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics can only be achieved if member states stop protecting plastic polluters,” said Jam Lorenzo of BAN Toxics in the Philippines.
From Bangladesh, Shahriar Hossain of the Environment and Social Development Organization said the challenge was no longer scientific uncertainty but political resolve. “The science is settled, impacts are undeniable, and the moment now calls for collective political will,” he said.
Groups representing communities on the frontlines of plastic pollution stressed the need for openness in the talks. “Civil society brings the voices of affected communities and independent expertise,” said Robert Kitumaini Chikwanine of SOPRODE DRC. “The chair must guarantee our access and ensure a transparent and inclusive process.”
Others pointed to the stakes for countries already bearing the brunt of plastic waste. “This leadership will decide whether science, justice and livelihoods are secured or delayed,” said Kwame Ofori of Ghana’s Ako Foundation.
Activists from Latin America and Indigenous communities echoed calls for stronger action, including binding global targets to cut plastic production. “The Global South has taken the lead in setting the most ambitious targets,” said Larisa de Orbe of Acción Ecológica México. “That leadership must be recognised.”
The negotiations are expected to intensify this year as countries seek to bridge deep divisions over production limits, chemicals of concern and financing, with Cordano now tasked with steering the process toward consensus and credibility.