In June 2025, global leaders from 96 countries convened in the coastal city of Nice, France, to address one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time: plastic pollution. What emerged from that gathering was not just another international conference but a bold, unified stance, the “Nice Wake-Up Call”, demanding an ambitious, legally binding global treaty to combat the growing percentages of plastic waste. For Kenya, a country whose coastlines and ecosystems are directly impacted by plastic pollution, this development carries significant weight.

The Nice Wake-Up Call marks a turning point in the global conversation on plastic. It is no longer just about cleaning up beaches or discouraging single-use plastics at the retail level; it’s about rethinking the entire life cycle of plastic, from production and design to disposal and circularity. The countries represented, spanning both the Global North and South, came together to push for a treaty that moves beyond voluntary commitments and embraces enforceable, science-based solutions. Among the countries represented were France (as host), Germany, Canada, Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Rwanda, Chile, and many more, highlighting the universal nature of the crisis and the shared responsibility to resolve it.

For everyday citizens in cities, the effects of plastic pollution are familiar: clogged drainage systems that flood during rains, consuming microplastics, and piles of waste that accumulate in rivers and end up in the ocean. While Kenya has made strong domestic efforts (Kenya’s 2017 ban on plastic bags), the broader issue lies in the global systems that drive plastic production and consumption.

This is where the proposed treaty steps in. The wake-up call from Nice is grounded in five core pillars that aim to tackle plastic pollution at its root. First, there is a call for a global reduction in the production and use of virgin polymers (polymers that have never been recycled). Second, the treaty is expected to phase out the most harmful and avoidable single-use plastics. Third, it will push for more responsible product design that considers health and recyclability. Fourth, the treaty seeks to establish robust financial mechanisms to support developing countries in implementing waste management and recycling systems. Lastly, the framework is designed to evolve, staying responsive to new scientific findings and technologies.

What makes this treaty especially relevant for East African countries is its recognition of the uneven burden plastic pollution places on the Global South. While much of the plastic waste is generated by high-income nations, it often ends up in lower-income countries where waste management infrastructure is still developing. This treaty acknowledges that imbalance and, if successfully implemented, will create funding and support mechanisms that ensure nations like Kenya are not left to solve a global problem on their own.

Furthermore, the treaty aligns with existing regional ambitions. In Kenya, the green economy has been steadily expanding through innovations in biodegradable packaging and community-led clean-up drives. Kenya stands to benefit not only environmentally but also economically through new green industries and circular economy models that offer opportunities for youth employment and innovation.

The meeting in Nice also reignited global political will after the previous negotiation round, INC-4, ended in deadlock in 2024. This declaration sends a clear message ahead of the following formal negotiation session in Geneva: the world is watching, and momentum is growing. If the treaty succeeds, it could become one of the most impactful multilateral environmental agreements since the Paris Agreement on climate change.

For those of us living along the shores of the Indian Ocean, or even far inland where plastic still finds its way into rivers and drainage systems, the implications are personal. Whether it’s farmers dealing with plastic-choked streams or city dwellers navigating blocked sewer lines, plastic pollution affects quality of life, public health, and national development. The Nice Wake-Up Call gives hope that global cooperation is finally catching up with the urgency that communities in Kenya have long felt on the ground.

As we await the outcome of the Geneva negotiations later this year, there is cautious optimism. The path to a global treaty will not be easy. Still, the foundation laid in Nice, with strong African representation and shared resolve, makes it a fight worth watching, and one in which our region must remain actively engaged.