No agreement at the UN Plastics Summit, but these companies are working towards a cleaner climate

The UN Plastics Summit in Geneva was supposed to be the turning point for making global agreements to reduce plastic. With 184 countries at the table, expectations were high. But in the early morning hours it became clear: there will be no agreement. A historic opportunity has been missed.

Oil companies blocking change to reduce plastic

The biggest stumbling block? A cap on the production of new plastic. Oil giants such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Saudi Aramco refused to budge. For these companies, plastic is the growth market now that the world is slowly moving away from fossil fuels.

What many people don’t know: plastic is largely made from oil and gas. It is estimated that nearly 10% of global oil production goes into plastic manufacturing. The more plastic is produced, the longer these companies can secure their fossil fuel revenue streams. Their financial interests outweighed the global need to protect ecosystems, health, and climate.

Still hope: these companies and organizations are making a difference

Despite this setback, there is reason for optimism. While the fossil fuel industry is hitting the brakes, countless organizations and initiatives are actively working on solutions to tackle plastic pollution, such as:

•⁠ The Ocean Cleanup (founded by Boyan Slat): develops innovative technology to remove plastic from rivers and oceans, tackling pollution at its source.

•⁠ Plastic Whale: creates furniture and even boats from plastic fished out of Amsterdam’s canals. Waste becomes a valuable raw material. You can even book it as a fun teambuilding activity.

•⁠ Juttersgeluk: a social enterprise where people distanced from the labor market collect beach waste and turn it into new products.

•⁠ Greenpeace: campaigns worldwide to reduce single-use plastics and pressures companies and governments to adopt plastic-free policies.

•⁠ WWF: the World Wildlife Fund works to protect biodiversity in oceans and rivers and pushes for international agreements to stop plastic pollution at its source.

•⁠ Plastic Soup Foundation: fights tirelessly against microplastics in cosmetics, clothing, and food, bringing the issue high onto the global agenda. Their mission: “No plastic in our water or our bodies.”

•⁠ Verpact: collaborates with companies to design smarter, circular, and plastic-free packaging. They advocate for deposit-return systems on bottles and cans, preventing waste from ending up in the environment. They also support Droppie, an app where users can earn cash for sorting and recycling waste—making recycling attractive and accessible for everyone.

•⁠ The Great Bubble Barrier: installs bubble screens in rivers to prevent plastic from reaching the ocean. A perforated tube pumps air to create a diagonal bubble curtain that directs plastic to the riverbank, where it can be collected—without hindering fish or shipping.

•⁠ The Ocean Movement: a global community connecting people and businesses to tackle the ocean plastics crisis together.

Working towards a plastic-free future

It’s disappointing that there is still no global treaty to reduce plastic waste. But let’s not lose hope for a cleaner future. The strength of civil society, innovative entrepreneurs, and engaged citizens grows every day.

A future with less plastic and no litter is still possible—not thanks to Shell and other oil companies, but because of the people and initiatives who choose change.

Want to contribute to change?

Do you want to work for companies that are committed to a cleaner climate and less plastic? Check out the jobs on Greenjobs.nl and be part of building a cleaner planet.