The Youth Movement at the Plastics Treaty Talks

The Youth Movement at the Plastics Treaty Talks

Author: Anja Krieger August 11, 2025 Duration: 28:11
Dejea Lyons and Shellan Saling from the Youth Plastic Action Network leave no doubt: To save the Plastics Treaty process and get to a meaningful agreement, serious sh*** needs to happen! Listen to Shellan's statement at the opening plenary and our chat under a tree in front of the United Nations Headquarter in Geneva, Switzerland. Thanks to the security guard who kindly let us sit and record there before he came over and informed us we had set up an alarm by sitting on the ground under the tree, because of "the cables" underneath :) If you're in Geneva: Fast forward all the way to the last ten minutes to get some tips for the morning of August 12, 2025, which is International Youth Day.

Anja Krieger hosts Plastisphere: A podcast on plastic pollution in the environment, a series that digs into the complex story of synthetic polymers. This isn't just a catalog of environmental damage, though that reality is confronted directly. Instead, the podcast carefully examines how these materials, foundational to contemporary life, now permeate every corner of the natural world and our own bodies. Anja guides listeners through a nuanced exploration, asking whether a sustainable coexistence is even possible. She doesn't provide easy answers but facilitates necessary conversations, bringing together researchers, activists, industry insiders, and communities on the front lines. Each episode is built on specific stories and scientific insights, moving from the deep ocean to human bloodstreams to policy halls. You'll hear about the chemistry of plastics, their journey as waste, and the cultural and economic systems that perpetuate their use. The strength of this podcast lies in its commitment to presenting a genuine spectrum of perspectives, avoiding simple blame in favor of understanding a truly global dilemma. It’s a thoughtful, sometimes surprising, and always human-centered look at one of the most defining material challenges of our time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Plastisphere: A podcast on plastic pollution in the environment
Podcast Episodes
How [Not] to Make a Plastics Treaty - What really happened in Geneva? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:25
After 11 days of talks between 180 nations in the middle of a heatwave, the final session dragged late into the night. The next morning we learned that the plastics treaty talks had - again - ended without an agreement t…
Fact-check your assumptions: Become a plastic mythbuster! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:59
The Plastic Mythbusters project is a collaboration between the Helmholtz Centre Hereon and the University of Strathclyde. Try our quiz and learn more in our detailed answers. You can also send us new claims to check or c…