Nice, France – —The Solomon Islands has joined 94 other countries in endorsing the Nice Call for an Ambitious Treaty on Plastic Pollution, a global declaration advocating for a strong and legally binding international agreement to tackle plastic pollution at every stage of its lifecycle.
The declaration was formally presented during the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France on Wednesday 11th June.
It was spearheaded by WWF’s Coral Reef Rescue Initiative and supported by a coalition of international partners working to safeguard ocean health. Solomon Islands Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Hon. Trevor Manemahaga, signed the declaration on behalf of the government, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to global environmental leadership.
Hon. Manemahaga hailed the initiative as a vital step toward protecting people and ecosystems, especially for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like the Solomon Islands, which suffer the harshest impacts of plastic pollution despite contributing the least to the problem. He emphasized that global action must be decisive, science-based, and equitable.
“We must act decisively and collectively,” said Hon. Manemahaga. “This treaty must go beyond voluntary commitments—it must be legally binding, grounded in science, and supported with the necessary resources if we are to protect our ocean, our people, and future generations.”
The Nice Call urges the international community to reduce the production and consumption of primary plastic polymers, eliminate the most harmful plastic products and chemicals, and improve the design of plastic materials to lessen their environmental footprint.
It also emphasizes the need for a dedicated financial mechanism to support implementation in developing nations and small island states.
French authorities described the Nice Call as a major diplomatic milestone in the lead-up to the next round of negotiations under the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), scheduled to take place from August 5 to 14, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland.
The declaration builds on momentum generated by the 2022 UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolution 5/14, which first called for a legally binding international instrument to address plastic pollution across its full lifecycle—from production and use to waste management and disposal.
By joining this global call, the Solomon Islands aligns itself with a growing coalition of countries determined to forge an ambitious treaty that protects ocean health, biodiversity, and human well-being.
Hon. Manemahaga concluded by calling on all nations to ensure that the final agreement is bold, inclusive, and capable of delivering real change, particularly for those countries on the frontlines of the climate and pollution crises.
- OPMC
