Boston | May 11, 2026

Over the past year, we’ve been exploring what it would truly mean for global governance to take seriously the interests of the more-than-human world — a concept we call planetary diplomacy. Along the way, we’ve connected with many individuals and organizations who are also working to push diplomacy in new directions, and to bring overlooked voices into global environmental discussions. One of these is Maria Ivanova, an expert in international environmental governance, sustainability, and the science-policy interface, and Director of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University in Boston, where she also co-directs the university’s Plastics Center. Maria has spent her career at the intersection of ideas and international institutions, having served on the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board and as a member of Rwanda’s delegation to the UN Environment Assembly. Her connection to Switzerland runs deep: from convening a forum with all UNEP Executive Directors in Glion in 2009, to developing the Environmental Conventions Index with Swiss government support, to leading academic delegations to last year’s negotiations toward a global plastics treaty in Geneva.

We sat down with her to discuss her work at the Plastics Center, how universities and the arts can shape policy, and Switzerland’s distinctive role in multilateral environmental governance.

Tell us about the Plastics Center at Northeastern – what is it, where did the idea come from, and what are your goals?

The Plastics Center at Northeastern University is an interdisciplinary initiative that brings together faculty, students, and partners from science, engineering, public policy, art, and design to address plastic pollution — a deeply systemic challenge that spans production, consumption, governance, and culture. At its core, our work is about connecting ideas, institutions, and individuals to move from awareness to action. We combine cutting-edge scientific research with policy analysis and public engagement, creating a space where solutions can move from the lab to policy and from ideas to implementation. The university serves as a powerful convening platform, connecting individuals and institutions across government, industry, civil society, academia, the arts, and international organizations.

A defining feature of the Plastics Center is its engagement from the local to the global level, spanning work on our campuses to global treaty negotiations. We actively involve students in these processes through research and experiential learning, which is a defining feature of Northeastern University. Ultimately, our ambition is to make plastics safer in production, use, and after disposal, to prepare the next generation of leaders to steward the transition to a more sustainable materials systems.

Your work bridges the gap between research and policy. What does it mean to you to work between those two worlds, and what role can researchers, scientists, and universities play in international governance?

Working between research and policy means operating where knowledge meets decision-making. It requires analytical rigor and practical responsiveness. Research provides the evidence base, the analytical frameworks, and the long-term perspective. Policy demands timeliness, clarity, and the ability to translate complex insights into actionable pathways. Scientific knowledge alone does not result in change unless it is communicated effectively and aligned with political realities. At the same time, policy without evidence risks being ineffective.

Universities offer the science-policy-society interface where progress becomes possible. They are among the few institutions that can convene across sectors and disciplines while maintaining independence and credibility. They link ideas and action — training students not only to understand complex problems but also to engage constructively in solving complex problems, bridging local contexts and global processes and transmitting diverse perspectives and lived experiences into global governance.

In addition to scientific research, you also incorporate art into your policy work. What can artists and creative professionals contribute to these conversations?

Policy often operates through data, analysis, and formal processes, but change depends on perception, values, and collective imagination. The arts inspire rather than instruct, making abstract issues tangible and emotionally resonant, and translating the scale and urgency of environmental challenges into relatable human experiences. In the context of plastics, artists have revealed the pervasiveness of plastic in our daily lives and its long-term consequences for ecosystems and human health. They can also open space for dialogue and reflection, expand our capacity to imagine alternative futures, and bring together communities that might not otherwise engage with policy discussions. In our work at the Policy School and the Plastics Center, we integrate arts and policy to connect knowledge with action and inspire shifts in behavior and norms.

One of your research areas is the future of multilateralism, and particularly how small states can shape global environmental policy. What role in particular can Switzerland play?

Switzerland occupies a distinct position in global environmental governance. Its commitment to multilateralism and environmental stewardship is credible and influential, and as host to many international organizations in Geneva, it actively shapes dialogue and negotiation, connecting large economies and small countries and supporting consensus in complex negotiations.

Switzerland’s emphasis on science-based decision making and institutional innovation is especially valuable at a time when global cooperation is under strain. By leading through domestic policy, supporting smaller states in advancing environmental solutions, and investing in platforms that bring together scientists, policymakers, and practitioners, Switzerland can continue to strengthen collective capacity.

As multilateralism is tested, Switzerland can sustain trust and continue to make cooperation possible. Swissnex’s Planetary Embassy initiative, for example, reflects a deep commitment to fostering planetary consciousness, which is indispensable for shaping a shared planetary future. Ultimately, multilateralism works when we recognize not only our shared interests, but our shared responsibility.