Venus Bivar is an Associate Professor of Environmental History at the University of Oxford, and is currently writing a book about the rise of petrochemicals and industrial pollution in twentieth-century Marseille.

November 14, 2025

Analysis

Plastic Planet

Stalled negotiations and accelerating accumulation in the global petrochemicals industry

The Polycrisis has always taken an interest in fossil fuels. We have written about how the industry has shaped international climate diplomacy and liberal politics. We’ve looked at the dynamics of the mid-transition, where fossil-fuel interests are fighting a desperate rear-guard struggle to secure future demand, even…