The chair of the stalled UN plastics treaty negotiations, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, is preparing to resign, citing personal and professional reasons. The move comes amid reports of behind-the-scenes pressure from the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep). The announcement is expected to be made at a UN meeting on Tuesday, with an official statement by Thursday.
The treaty talks, aimed at addressing accelerating plastic pollution, collapsed in August after three years of negotiations. Vayas Valdivieso faced criticism from NGOs and member states for releasing a draft text that was rejected by most negotiators. The UK's head of delegation, minister Emma Hardy, described it as the “lowest common denominator”, while Ghana said it would “entrench the status quo for decades to come”. The draft removed sections on plastic production limits and hazardous chemicals, and omitted language on addressing pollution across the “full life cycle”.
Concerns have also been raised about Unep's interference. Sources told the Guardian that Unep staff held a covert meeting on the final night of negotiations, allegedly to pressure civil society groups into calling for the chair's resignation. Vayas Valdivieso confirmed he lodged an inquiry with Unep about the meeting, calling for more transparency. He defended his work, stating the process had achieved “very important goals” and that his resignation had nothing to do with the Geneva talks.
Christina Dixon, an ocean campaign leader at the Environmental Investigation Agency, described the resignation as “a stark reminder of the dysfunction that has plagued the plastics treaty negotiations from the beginning”. She stressed the urgent need to restore trust in the process. A Unep spokesperson said the executive director was unaware of any informal meeting and that the matter is being handled according to UN rules.
