At last week's #PlasticsTreaty meeting in Geneva, the world's largest country was outsmarted by one of the smallest. “Are we following Rule 45?” Dennis Clare of Micronesia 🇫🇲 asked, exposing the weakness in Russia’s 🇷🇺 procedural gambit. medium.com/points-of-or...

The election of Julio Cordano as Chair of the #PlasticsTreaty process shows the value of procedural rules — and what can be achieved when they are enforced #INC5 medium.com/points-of-or...

In December, we polled Americans on issues around international law, and 77% of US people said that they would not support their government illegally invading another country — even if it was claimed to be in their security interest. Quite relevant these days! lexinternational.org/internationa...

An excellent article — a must-read for all #INC negotiators

“We reaffirm that all states, including in situations of occupation, are bound to fully respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law” —  🇧🇷🇨🇳🇫🇷🇯🇴🇰🇿🇿🇦 with @icrc.org announce high-level conference to uphold humanity in war in 2026 www.icrc.org/en/statement...

Building on the legacy of the #MineBanTreaty, the #ClusterMunitionsConvention, and the #TPNW, Colombia 🇨🇴 is stepping up to host a major international conference on phasing out fossil fuels. A new Oslo/Ottawa moment is on the horizon. Way to go! fossilfueltreaty.org/phase-out-co...

After the Geneva round of the #PlasticsTreaty talks ended without a deal, troubling questions are being raised about the role played by @unep.org Executive Director Inger Andersen — and an apparent bid to topple the Committee’s elected Chair medium.com/points-of-or...

💣 An excellent analysis of the #PlasticsTreaty 's Whistledown (aka @magnuslovold.bsky.social) of what happened behind the scenes at the end of #INC5.2. Once again, important questions are raised about the role of UNEP, which seems to support a low-ambition treaty #Plastics medium.com/points-of-or...

#PlasticsTreaty recap post Geneva 🇨🇭

🇺🇳 #PlasticsTreaty endgame, Geneva. This afternoon, Ambassador Luis Vayas of Ecuador will table his own “compromise text” — a make-or-break move to break the deadlock and push the talks towards a deal to end plastic pollution. 🧵

New blog post! Here at the #plasticstreaty negotiations, some countries are arguing for a weak treaty on the grounds that plastic producing countries won't join a strong one. Here's a short rebuttal: medium.com/@climatesail... 🧵

… And they’re back! PlastiSphere’s host @anjakrieger.bsky.social interviews the close observer and analyst of the Plastic Treaty Negotiations, @magnuslovold.bsky.social, to get a read on where things stand half-way through this supposedly last session (INC-5.2) of those negotiations.

Five days into the last round of #plasticstreaty negotiations, @magnuslovold.bsky.social and I got together to discuss where we stand. Listen here 🎧 #INC52 on.soundcloud.com/E1eFAK5VLUZF...

Hi #INC5👋 from 1972 when the @washingtonpost.com ran this lede: “We are all just a little bit plastic now.” 😮‍💨 . Said the White House’s Council on Env Quality, “I know this is going to be a significant future issue… potentially our next bad one.” Re: #phthalates #plasticstreaty

Six days left. The #PlasticsTreaty talks are — again — drowning in brackets. Take control of the pen. Or watch the deal disappear into a black hole. medium.com/points-of-or...

Nice piece on #plasticstreaty dynamics and the possible ways toward an effective treaty news.mongabay.com/2025/07/as-u...

On 5 August, the final act of the #PlasticsTreaty negotiations resumes in Geneva. The big question? Not what’s in the treaty, but whether negotiators will have the courage to move ahead without spoilers. 🧵

Why is the CEO of the world’s largest de-mining NGO defending landmines? James Cowan of @thehalotrust.bsky.social has publicly supported the shipment of anti-personnel mines to Ukraine — even suggesting the Mine Ban Treaty should be revised 🧵

If there was ever any doubt why France 🇫🇷 tried to stop @who.int from revisiting the health impacts of nuclear war at #WHA78 last night—this is why. For decades, France & other nuclear powers have tried to bury the truth about these weapons @jonhenley.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m...

Great piece by @magnuslovold.bsky.social Watch this space on whether nuclear allies are willing to support international efforts by @who.int to examine the effects of a nuclear war on health and health services. is.gd/RMMhLu

"This is not a technical debate. It is a defining moment for international law — and for the future of warfare. At its core, it is about our capacity as a species to master the technologies we create." #AutonomousWeapons #KillerRobots

Did the #plasticstreaty negotiations fail? Not so fast! The process is far from over. For an update on where we stand and what’s to come, listen to the new plastisphere.earth episode 🎧 You'll hear from 💡 @magnuslovold.bsky.social 🦸Chris Dixon @eia-news.bsky.social 🧢 @andresdelcas.bsky.social

Spoiler Alert: humanity at a crossroads. Here's what to watch as states meet next week to address #KillerRobots in New York #AutonomousWeapons shorturl.at/qi117

To keep up with the latest on the process toward a treaty on autonomous weapons #KillerRobots, subscribe to Anna Hehir & Maggie Munro's excellent newsletter @futureoflife.org autonomousweapons.org

Algeria 🇩🇿stands as an "outstanding example" of what sustained #mineaction can achieve, said Ambassador Rachid Bladehane of Algeria to the UN in Geneva Crucial to get these hard-won experiences conveyed to countries in Europe at this moment spoileralerts.substack.com/p/theatre-of...

Excellent article on the cruel and incomprehensible decision of #Finland & #Latvia gvts to leave the #minebantreaty, with #Poland, #Lithuania, and #Estonia likely to follow close behind. @magnuslovold.bsky.social @minefreeworld.bsky.social spoileralerts.substack.com/p/theatre-of...

Poland and the Baltics want landmines back. Finland just joined them. This isn’t strategy — it’s security theatre. And the ones who’ll pay for it? Their own civilians @minefreeworld.bsky.social @icrc.org spoileralerts.substack.com/p/theatre-of...

MAC's statement on the recent recommendation from that Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland leave the Ottawa Treaty. www.minesactioncanada.org/balticsandpo... @um.fi, @radek-sikorski.bsky.social ky.social, @tsahkna.bsky.social bsky.social, @baibabraze.bsky.social @minefreeworld.bsky.social

Democracy is not dead, yet. www.swissinfo.ch/eng/foreign-...

Listing main elements requiring work, @magnuslovold.bsky.social highlights: ⚖️ Technical & legal work to further develop #PlasticsTreaty text 🛣️ Procedural work for the progressive majority to make a credible path for the adoption of the treaty 🖊️ Political work to prepare ministers signing

This is the last week to respond to the UN’s call for scientists for its Panel on Nuclear War Effects. 🗓️ Nominations due 1 March 💻 Apply here disarmament.unoda.org/panel-on-the... We encourage all qualified individuals to apply to make a significant contribution to arms control prospects

As a sign of its waning influence in international politics, the United States 🇺🇸 pulls out of the #UNTaxConvention negotiations

Fake news is a transboundary problem. There should be a treaty for this www.theguardian.com/world/2024/d...

Late to post, but still thinking about the INC-5 plastics treaty talks in Busan, where 100+ countries stood up to support an ambitious agreement to tackle the escalating quantities of plastic that enter our lives each day dialogue.earth/en/pollution... @dialogueearth.bsky.social

When the history of the #PlasticsTreaty process is written, #INC5 in Busan 🇰🇷 will be remembered as the point where the large majority of countries in favour of a strong treaty discovered their capacity for collective action medium.com/points-of-or...

Seeing the hibakusha and their children cry as #NihonHidankyo receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo for their decades-long struggle for nuclear disarmament breaks my heart 💔

When #NihonHidankyo receive the #NobelPeacePrize in Oslo today, the rest of us will have one job only: Listen. Not seek to reframe. Not opine. Not hypothesise. Just listen. open.substack.com/pub/spoilera...

New(ish) column up from @magnuslovold.bsky.social — he’s at #Inc5 of the #plasticstreaty talks in Busan — “the progressive majority must break free from precedent and move to conclude the treaty without them” — medium.com/points-of-or...