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Plastic Pollution INC-2

Mise à jour: 06 Jul 2023

Produits chimiques et pollution | Plastiques

ODD3 | ODD12

The second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) took place in Paris, France, from 29 May to 2 June 2023.  At the first meeting (INC-1), governments requested the secretariat to prepare a document to be considered at INC-2 with potential options for elements towards an international legally binding instrument, based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastics as called for by UNEA resolution 5/14.

About the INC Process

For several years, plastic pollution has been a major issue raised at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) and other global fora. On 2 March 2022, 175 countries participating in UNEA-5.2 got together and adopted the resolution 5/14 End plastic pollution: towards an international legally binding instrument, recognizing that “the high and rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution represent a serious environmental problem at a global scale, negatively impacting the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development”. This historic resolution mandates the UNEP Executive Director to convene an International Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop and adopt a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastics. This landmark decision thus launched the process towards a global plastics treaty, which should be developed by the end of 2024.

Note by the Secretariat on dates and venues of subsequent sessions of the INC

More on International Cooperation on Plastic Pollution

Pre INC-2 Sessions

The first two meetings for the development of the international legally binding agreement on plastic pollution took place in 2022. In May 2022, the ad hoc open-ended working group (OEWG) met in Dakar, Senegal. The meeting resulted in a proposed draft rules of procedure for the work of the INC. Member States then met in Punta del Este, Uruguay, from 28 November to 2 December for the first meeting of the INC to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.

Outcomes, events & resources | Towards Plastic Pollution INC-1

Towards INC-2

The second session of the INC took place in Paris, France, from 29 May to 2 June 2023. Ahead of INC-2, regional consultations were held on 28 May 2023. As requested at the end of the first session, at INC-2 the committee discussed the potential options for elements towards an international legally binding instrument released by the Secretariat on 13 April 2023. The document is based on a comprehensive approach addressing the full life cycle of plastics, as called for UNEA resolution 5/14, and reflects the views expressed by Member States during the first session of the committee and in their written submissions.

The Secretariat analyzed the 243 written submissions from member states and other stakeholders, available on the INC secretariat website. These included categories suggested in a guiding template (objectives; core obligations, control measures and voluntary approaches; implementing elements; and additional input) as well as introductory elements related to the preamble, definitions, scope, principles and institutional arrangements related to the governing body, subsidiary bodies, scientific and technical cooperation and coordination, and the secretariat. The document offers 12 possible core obligations and various measures intended to support the intergovernmental negotiating committee in its deliberations for the future instrument, with measures that could be both legally binding and voluntary measures.

Potential Options for Elements Towards an International Legally Binding Instrument
Official Website for INC-2

Outcomes

More than 1,700 participants – over 700 delegates from 169 Member States and over 900 observers – attended the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution (INC-2), hosted by France at the headquarters of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, under the chairmanship of H.E. Gustavo Meza-Cuadra.

The main outcomes include:

  • Mandate to the Chair to prepare a zero draft of the treaty ahead of INC-3
  • Secretariat requested to invite submissions on elements not discussed at INC-2, such as the principles and scope of the instrument, and any potential areas for intersessional work compiled by the cofacilitators of the two contact groups, to inform the work of INC-3. Deadlines: 15 August for observers and by 15 September 2023 for Member States.
  • Bureau elected | Georgia, Estonia, Sweden, and the US joined as members elected at INC-2
  • Next venues agreed | INC-3 in Nairobi, Kenya, INC-4 in Ottawa, Canada, and INC-5 in the Republic of Korea.
  • Following discussions on voting rights, agreed on an interpretive paragraph for the Draft Rules of Procedure that apply on a provisional basis to the work of the INC.
INC-2 Final Report
INC-2 | IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin
INC Chair to prepare zero draft of international agreement on plastic pollution as Paris negotiations end | INC Secretariat Press Release | 3 June 2023

Press Statements & Documents

Press Briefing

The Press Briefing for the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) took place on Monday, 29 May at 17:30 CEST  in English with French translation.

Panel:

  • Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez, Chair of the INC
  • Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary of the INC

Press Release

In-Session Documents and Written Statements

  • Discussed and agreed-upon documents are in the in-session document section of the INC-2 Official Website.
  • Written statements by the Secretariat, Member States, Groups of States and observers will be published in the INC-2 Official Website.

INC-2 Side Events

There will be 12 thematic side events  organized on the margins of the second session of the INC. The themes have been chosen based on the discussions at INC-1, the written submissions received, and were decided in consultation with the Chair and the host country. The thematic side events will be held 1:30-2:45 pm daily from Monday 29 May to Thursday 1 June 2023 at the INC-2 venue, with 3 events to be held in parallel each day. The events will be in-person only.

  • Monday 29 May
    1. Promoting sustainable consumption and production of plastics
    2. Oceans and the marine environment, including transport, ghost fishing gears, dumping, pellet loss, and impacts on biodiversity
    3. The role of trade measures in the future instrument: challenges and opportunities
  • Tuesday 30 May
    4. Monitoring the situation and monitoring the progress of the future instrument: objectives/targets and their associated baselines, indicators, and timelines.
    5. Plastic pollution, toxicity, chemicals, and potential risks to human health
    6. Means of implementation, including resource mobilization and financial mechanism
  • Wednesday 31 May
    7. Microplastic: understanding the challenge and its impacts
    8. Promoting circular economy to retain plastics in the economy and out of the environment, including innovation and expanding the share of circular plastics
    9. Enabling change at local, national, and regional levels
  • Thursday 1 June
    10. Promoting environmentally sound management of plastic waste, including collection, sorting, and recycling, and consideration of investments
    11. Existing plastic pollution: Challenges of SIDs and remote communities
    12. Socio-economic considerations in the transition to circular approaches to plastic, including human rights approaches and inclusion of the informal waste sector
List of selected co-organizers for the side events during INC-2

Preparatory Events

Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues

Through the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues, the Geneva Environment Network and its partners support actors in the Geneva community and beyond, that are engaged in the INC process. Ahead of INC-2, the co-conveners of the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues will host events dedicated to the upcoming negotiations. Upcoming sessions:

More on the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues

International Geneva at INC-2

As a global hub for environmental governance, in particular for chemicals and waste issue, Geneva hosts many organizations whose work is highly relevant for the development of a new instrument on plastic pollution. Learn more about the organizations active in Geneva to tackle the plastic crisis through our Plastics and the Environment special section on “Addressing the Plastic Crisis from Geneva”. As we head toward INC-2, we will highlight activities, documents and resources related specifically to this meeting below.

Addressing the Plastic Crisis from Geneva

In-session Submissions

Pre-session Submissions

Highly engaged in the process, actors and stakeholders from International Geneva have provided written submissions for the document to be prepared by the Secretariat presenting potential options for elements towards an international legally binding instrument: BRS | Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty | CIEL | Geneva Cities Hub | GAHP | ILO | ISO |  ITUC | IUCN | OHCHR | UNCTAD | Water Convention Secretariat | UNECE | WBCSD | WEF and Global Plastic Action Partnership | WWF.

Press Conference Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution | 2 September 2021

Additional Resources

Who To Follow on Twitter

#PlasticsTreaty #INC2