Australia has stepped firmly onto the global stage in support of an ambitious treaty to end plastic pollution, with Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt announcing the nation’s commitment during the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France. It marks a defining moment not only in Minister Watt’s tenure – his first major international engagement since taking on the portfolio – but also in Australia’s ongoing role in shaping global solutions to ocean plastic waste.
Minister Watt joined 96 other countries in endorsing the Nice Wake Up Call for an Ambitious Plastics Treaty, signalling Australia’s backing for binding global action that addresses plastic pollution across the entire lifecycle of plastics.
“Plastic pollution is a major challenge facing our planet, including our oceans, and we are committed to being a full partner in the global fight to solve it,” Watt said. “It’s within our reach, and there isn’t a moment to lose.”
With the treaty negotiations set to resume in Geneva this August, Watt confirmed that Australia would continue to play a leadership role in the fight against plastic pollution.
He stressed the need for a lifecycle approach to plastics that covers design, production, consumption, reuse, and recycling, noting that 60 per cent of plastic used in Australia is imported.
“A global treaty will help us ensure that plastic imports are safe and designed for circularity,” he said. “This will allow us to increase plastic recycling rates, support domestic industry transformation and deliver stronger environmental and human health outcomes.”
Australia’s commitments at the conference are part of a broader portfolio of ocean protection initiatives, including the ratification of the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty and a review of the country’s marine protected areas to increase highly protected zones.
Minister Watt also used the platform to underscore Australia’s progress in extending marine protections to more than 50 per cent of its ocean territory – exceeding the global 30 per cent target.
Local action urged
But while Australia’s international positioning drew applause, local environmental leaders are urging the government to back its global words with accelerated domestic action.
Jeff Angel, director of the Boomerang Alliance – a coalition of 56 environmental NGOs – welcomed the federal commitment to the treaty but stressed it must be matched by urgent measures at home.
“Nations that sign onto the treaty will of course be required to take action domestically,” Angel said. “Australia is well set to do that by activating the stalled mandatory packaging stewardship scheme, continuing to ban problematic single-use items, embracing reuse, and implementing a national microplastic reduction strategy.”
The Alliance is calling for the Albanese Government to enact legislation within the current parliamentary session, with the goal of having effective mechanisms in place by 2026. These include a mandatory product stewardship scheme for packaging, more ambitious single-use plastic and container refund policies across states and territories, and an industry-funded soft plastics recovery program.
For Australia’s packaging and recycling sectors, these developments signal a shift toward more regulated, accountable systems – with the global treaty expected to provide the framework and momentum for consistency, innovation and investment.
As Australia takes its seat at the global table, the message from both government and civil society is clear: high ambition abroad must be matched by high action at home.
