Global plastic pollution treaty

Following UNEA-5.2, The mandate specifies that the INC must begin its work by the end of 2022 with the goal of "completing a draft global legally binding agreement by the end of 2024."{{Cite web |date=2022-03-02 |title=Historic day in the campaign to beat plastic pollution: Nations commit to develop a legally binding agreement |url=http://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/historic-day-campaign-beat-plastic-pollution-nations-commit-develop |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=UN Environment |language=en}}

Work towards the treaty began with the meeting of an ad hoc open-ended working group in Dakar, Senegal from May 30 through June 1, 2022.{{Cite web |title=Ad hoc open‑ended working group (OEWG) to prepare for the intergovernmental negotiating committee on plastic pollution |url=http://www.unep.org/events/unep-event/Intergovernmental-Negotiating-Committee-end-plastic-pollution |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=UNEP - UN Environment Programme |language=en}} During that meeting, Member States established a timeline for subsequent meetings through the end of 2024, rules of procedure, and the initial scope of work for the first meeting of the INC.[https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/39812/OEWG_PP_1_INF_1_UNEA%20resolution.pdf UNEA Resolution 5/14 – End plastic pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument*]

• The first meeting of the negotiating committee (INC-1) took place in Punta del Este, Uruguay from November 28, 2022 through December 2, 2022. The agenda contained items including the formal adoption of the rules of procedure.{{cite web |title=Proposed approach to the work of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) developing an international instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment |url=https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/39774/Outcome%20Summary.pdf |access-date=1 August 2022 |publisher=United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)}} Over 2,300 delegates from 160 countries participated.[https://enb.iisd.org/plastic-pollution-marine-environment-negotiating-committee-inc1-summary IISD Summary report, 26 November – 2 December 2022]

• The second meeting of the negotiating committee (INC-2) took place in Paris, France from May 29, 2023 through June 2, 2023.[https://www.unep.org/events/conference/second-session-intergovernmental-negotiating-committee-develop-international UNEP Second session of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution]
• The third session (INC-3) took place from November 13-19, 2023 at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya{{Cite web |title=Third Session of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution |url=http://www.unep.org/events/conference/third-session-intergovernmental-negotiating-committee-plastic-pollution |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=UNEP - UN Environment Programme |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Global Plastics Treaty Chair Releases 'Zero Draft' Ahead of Third Meeting |url=https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/global-plastics-treaty-chair-releases-zero-draft-ahead-of-third-meeting-2023-09-04/ |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=Center for Biological Diversity |language=en}}
• The fourth session (INC-4) took place from April 23-29, 2024 in Ottawa, Canada. Where 196 fossil fuel lobbyists attended, which was more than scientists.{{Cite web |title=Fossil Fuel Lobbyists Outnumber National Delegations, Scientists, and Indigenous Peoples at Plastics Treaty Negotiations |url=https://www.ciel.org/news/fossil-fuel-and-chemical-industry-influence-inc4/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Center for International Environmental Law |language=en-US}} {{Cite news |last1=Goodwin |first1=Natalia |last2=Harder |first2=Isabel |date=April 21, 2024 |title=Demonstrators march through Ottawa, call for end to plastic pollution |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/demonstrators-march-through-ottawa-call-for-end-to-plastic-pollution-1.7180347 |work=CBC News}}{{Cite news |last=Stueck |first=Wendy |date=2024-04-21 |title=Talks to deal with plastic begin in Canada this week. Here's what's at stake |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-un-plastic-pollution-treaty-ottawa/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}}

• The fifth session, first part (INC-5.1) took place from 25 November to 1 December 2024 in Busan, Republic of Korea.{{Cite web |title=First Part of the Fifth Session |url=https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution/session-5 |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=unep.org |language=en}}
• The fifth session, second part (INC-5.2) will take place from 5 to 14 August 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.{{Cite web |title=Second Part of the Fifth Session |url=https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution/session-5.2 |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=unep.org |language=en}}

In 2025, the treaty is to be finalized at the conference of the plenipotentiaries, with Ecuador, Peru, Rwanda, and Senegal as potential hosts.[https://sdg.iisd.org/news/negotiations-on-a-global-plastics-treaty-get-underway/ IISD Negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty Get Underway]

Members agreed that the treaty will be international in scope, legally binding, and should address the full life cycle of plastics, including its design, production, and disposal. It has been argued that chemicals contained in plastics such as additives, processing aids, and unintentionally added substances need to be addressed, too.{{Cite journal |last1=Wang |first1=Zhanyun |last2=Praetorius |first2=Antonia |date=2022-11-22 |title=Integrating a Chemicals Perspective into the Global Plastic Treaty |journal=Environmental Science & Technology Letters |volume=9 |issue=12 |language=en |pages=1000–1006 |doi=10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00763|pmid=36530847 |doi-access=free |pmc=9753957 |bibcode=2022EnSTL...9.1000W }}{{Cite journal |last1=Simon |first1=Nils |last2=Raubenheimer |first2=Karen |last3=Urho |first3=Niko |last4=Unger |first4=Sebastian |last5=Azoulay |first5=David |last6=Farrelly |first6=Trisia |author-link6=Trisia Farrelly |last7=Sousa |first7=Joao |last8=van Asselt |first8=Harro |last9=Carlini |first9=Giulia |last10=Sekomo |first10=Christian |last11=Schulte |first11=Maro Luisa |last12=Busch |first12=Per-Olof |last13=Wienrich |first13=Nicole |last14=Weiand |first14=Laura |date=2021-07-02 |title=A binding global agreement to address the life cycle of plastics |journal=Science |volume=373 |issue=6550 |pages=43–47 |doi=10.1126/science.abi9010 |pmid=34210873 |bibcode=2021Sci...373...43S |s2cid=235699747}}

In the lead-up to UNEA-5.2, the majority of UN Member States had expressed their support for advancing a global treaty.{{Cite web |title=Global Plastic Navigator |url=https://plasticnavigator.wwf.de/#/en/stories/?st=0&ch=4&layers=surface-concentration%7Cpolicy-commitments-area%7Cpolicy-commitments |access-date=1 August 2022 |website=plasticnavigator.wwf.de |language=de |location=Berlin, Germany}} Other groups making public declarations about the need for a treaty include the business sector,{{Cite web |title=The Business Call for a UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution |url=https://www.plasticpollutiontreaty.org/ |access-date=1 August 2022 |publisher=Civil Society and Rights-Holders Coalition for a Plastics Treaty |language=en}} civil society, Indigenous Peoples,{{Cite web |title=Indigenous communities on the frontlines of the plastics crisis speak at global plastics treaty negotiations |url=https://ecojustice.ca/news/indigenous-communities-on-the-frontlines-of-the-plastics-crisis-speak-at-global-plastics-treaty-negotiations/ |access-date=6 August 2024 |website=Ecojustice |date=24 April 2024 |location=Vancouver, Canada}} workers, trade unions,{{Cite web |date=5 February 2022 |title=Civil Society, Indigenous Peoples, Workers and Trade Unions, and Other Organizations - A New Global Treaty On Plastic Pollution |url=https://www.plasticstreaty.org/organizations/ |access-date=1 August 2022 |language=en-US|website=www.plasticstreaty.org}} waste pickers{{Cite news |date=2 March 2022 |title=The World Is Awash in Plastic. Nations Plan a Treaty to Fix That. |language=en-US |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/02/climate/global-plastics-recycling-treaty.html |access-date=18 May 2023 |website=www.nytimes.com}} and scientists.{{Cite journal |title=The time for ambitious action is now: Science-based recommendations for plastic chemicals to inform an effective global plastic treaty |journal=Science of the Total Environment |date=November 2024 |volume=949|doi=10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174881 |last1=Brander |first1=Susanne M. |last2=Senathirajah |first2=Kala |last3=Fernandez |first3=Marina O. |last4=Weis |first4=Judith S. |last5=Kumar |first5=Eva |last6=Jahnke |first6=Annika |last7=Hartmann |first7=Nanna B. |last8=Alava |first8=Juan José |last9=Farrelly |first9=Trisia |last10=Almroth |first10=Bethanie Carney |last11=Groh |first11=Ksenia J. |last12=Syberg |first12=Kristian |last13=Buerkert |first13=Johanna Sophie |last14=Abeynayaka |first14=Amila |last15=Booth |first15=Andy M. |last16=Cousin |first16=Xavier |last17=Herzke |first17=Dorte |last18=Monclús |first18=Laura |last19=Morales-Caselles |first19=Carmen |last20=Bonisoli-Alquati |first20=Andrea |last21=Al-Jaibachi |first21=Rana |last22=Wagner |first22=Martin |pmid=39047828 |bibcode=2024ScTEn.94974881B |doi-access=free |hdl=11250/3151014 |hdl-access=free }}{{Cite news |title=Scientists’ Declaration for the Global Plastics Treaty – updated for INC-5 |language=en |publisher=Civil Society and Rights-Holders Coalition for a Plastics Treaty |url=https://ikhapp.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Scientists_Declaration_INC_5.pdf |format=PDF |date=23 November 2024 |access-date=10 March 2025}}

• The Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty

{{reflist}}

• [https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/39764/END%20PLASTIC%20POLLUTION%20-%20TOWARDS%20AN%20INTERNATIONAL%20LEGALLY%20BINDING%20INSTRUMENT%20-%20English.pdf Resolution adopted by the United Nations Environment Assembly on 2 March 2022 – 5/14. End plastic pollution: towards an international legally binding instrument]

Category:United Nations resolutions

Category:Plastics and the environment

Category:Pollution

Category:Proposed treaties

Category:Open environmental policy proposals