Tragic Drowning of a 'Thinker' Submerged in Plastic Waste Occurs amidst United Nations Treaty Negotiations
In the heart of Busan, South Korea, diplomats gathered for the fifth round of talks in December 2022, aiming to seal the first international accord to tackle plastic pollution. However, fundamental differences remained unresolved, marking a setback in the global fight against plastic waste.
Fast forward to August 2025, and the international community is on the brink of adopting the first legally binding global treaty to address plastic pollution. The key conference INC-5.2, held in Geneva, is the final stage of negotiations. This treaty aims to address the full lifecycle of plastics, from design and production to consumption and disposal, with the goal of ending plastic pollution comprehensively.
The historic process began with the UN Environment Assembly’s 2022 resolution to develop this treaty. Since then, negotiations have focused on securing strong, enforceable measures. However, progress has been slowed by opposition, primarily from countries with large fossil fuel and petrochemical industries, advocating for limits only on waste management and recycling rather than production caps.
The sculpture titled "The Thinker's Burden" serves as a poignant reminder of the stakes involved. Canadian artist and activist Benjamin Von Wong has been constructing this thought-provoking piece. The sculpture, six meters tall, depicts "The Thinker" sitting on a representation of Mother Earth. In one hand, "The Thinker" holds crushed plastic bottles, and in the other, a baby. The artist hopes this sculpture will make diplomats think about the health impacts of plastic pollution on all future generations.
Von Wong, an advocate for a strong, ambitious plastics treaty, also emphasises the need to consider toxic chemicals entering the environment when protecting health. Over the course of 10 days, more plastic will be added to the art installation to show the growing cost passed on to future generations.
The urgency is underscored by rising plastic pollution, expected to reach 1.7 billion metric tons by 2060 with enormous environmental and economic costs. The European Union and other key players have emphasised the need for an ambitious and comprehensive agreement at this critical negotiation stage.
As the world waits for the finalisation of this groundbreaking treaty, it is clear that the ultimate strength and scope depend on overcoming political and industrial resistance to production caps and lifecycle-wide regulation. The future of our planet may well rest on the decisions made in Geneva this August.
References:
- United Nations Environment Assembly (2022). Resolution on the development of an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the prevention of marine plastic pollution.
- World Economic Forum (2023). The global treaty on plastic pollution: A critical opportunity for the environment and human health.
- Greenpeace (2024). The plastic pollution treaty: A race against time to protect our planet.
- United Nations (2025). Draft text of the proposed global treaty on plastic pollution.
- European Commission (2025). A strong and comprehensive agreement on plastic pollution: The European Union's stance at the final negotiations.
- The international community, in August 2025, is on the verge of adopting an ambitious and comprehensive treaty to address plastic pollution, marking a significant step in the global health-and-wellness initiative and environmental-science efforts.
- This upcoming treaty, targeted at addressing the full lifecycle of plastics, from creation to disposal, is a product of the UN Environment Assembly's 2022 resolution aiming to combat plastic pollution.
- As negotiations for this treaty persist, there has been a call for strong, enforceable measures, though progress has been stalled by opposition from countries with substantial fossil fuel and petrochemical industries, who advocate for limited regulations only on waste management and recycling, instead of production caps.
- In efforts to shed light on the health consequences of plastic pollution for future generations, Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong has created a thought-provoking sculpture titled "The Thinker's Burden." The six-meter installation depicts "The Thinker" sitting on Mother Earth, holding crushed plastic bottles in one hand and a baby in the other, serving as a poignant reminder for diplomats.
