Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues

The Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution dialogues aim to facilitate further engagement and discussion among the stakeholders in International Geneva and beyond. In addition, they intend to address the plastic crisis and support coordinated approaches that can lead to more efficient decision making.

About the Dialogues

The world is facing a plastic crisis, the status quo is not an option. Plastic pollution is a serious issue of global concern which requires an urgent and international response involving all relevant actors at different levels. Many initiatives, projects and governance responses and options have been developed to tackle this major environmental problem, but we are still unable to cope with the amount of plastic we generate. In addition, there is a lack of coordination which can better lead to a more effective and efficient response.

Various actors in Geneva are engaged in rethinking the way we manufacture, use, trade and manage plastics. The Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues dialogues aim at outreaching and creating synergies among these actors, highlighting efforts made by intergovernmental organizations and governments, businesses, the scientific community, civil society and individuals in the hope of informing and creating stronger synergies and coordinated actions. The dialogues will also look at what the different stakeholders in Geneva and beyond have achieved at all levels, present the latest research and governance options.

Although the dialogues target stakeholders from all continents, they primarily aim to encourage increased engagement of the Geneva community in the run-up to various global environmental negotiations, including at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), the meetings of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop a legally-binding instrument on plastic pollution, the Conference of the Parties of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS COPs), the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC), the International Conference for Chemicals Management (SAICM ICCM), the World Health Assembly (WHA), and more. The dialogues also address processes in other fora, particularly in Geneva, such as at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Human Rights Council (HRC).

Skip to current series of dialogues

First Series of Dialogues

The first series of dialogues took place from November 2020 to February 2021, to build momentum towards the first session of UNEA-5. It aimed to facilitate further engagement and discussions among the International Geneva stakeholders and actors across the regions and support coordinated approaches that can lead to more efficient global decision making. It also intended to provide a platform to further carry the discussion from the recently conclude Ad Hoc Open-Ended Expert Group (AHEG) on Marine Litter and Microplastics towards UNEA-5.2 in 2022.

The first series of dialogues were organized in collaboration with the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, the Center for International Environmental Law, the Global Governance Centre at the Graduate Institute, Norway, and Switzerland.

Opening Session: Plastics and Waste | 26 November 2020
Plastics, Climate and Air Pollution | 10 December 2020
Plastics and Human Rights | 14 January 2021
Plastics and Health | 21 January 2021
Plastics and Standards | 28 January 2021
Plastics and Trade | 4 February 2021
Plastics in the Life Cycle/SCP | 11 February 2021
High-Level Dialogue on Plastic Governance | 11 March 2021

Outcomes of the first series

Second Series of Dialogues

Building on the outcomes of the first series of dialogues and the recent policy developments, the Geneva Environment Network will continue to facilitate further engagement and synergies on tackling the plastic crisis, in cooperation with its partners. With the Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution convening in hybrid format, with a core presence in Geneva, on 1-2 September 2021 and other formal and informal discussions ongoing in various fora, including trade, plastic pollution remains high on international Geneva agenda. The sessions also fostered engagement of the Geneva community toward UNEA-5.2 in March 2022.

The second series of dialogues is organized in collaboration with the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, the Center for International Environmental Law, the Global Governance Centre at the Graduate Institute, IUCN, Norway, Switzerland, and the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS).

Preparatory Briefing Ahead of the Ministerial Conference on a Coherent Global Strategy to End Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution | 24 August 2021
Stakeholder Perspectives on a Global Treaty on Plastics pollution: Priorities for transforming the global plastics economy | 30 August 2021 – Introductory Session of the Global Governance of Plastic Pollution: Transforming the Global Plastics Economy (30-31 August 2021)
Plastique et Climat, même combat? | 1 September 2021
Plastics and Human Rights | 23 September 2021
Side-event to the 48th regular session of the Human Rights Council, with the UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights
Plastic Waste and Mountains | 10 December 2021
UN System Response to Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution | 13 January 2022 (joint event with UN-EMG & GRID-Arendal)
Basis for Financial Cooperation and Technical Assistance in a New Plastic Agreement | 18 January 2022
UNEA-5.2 High Level Briefing on a Global Instrument on Plastic Pollution | 1 February 2022

Outcomes of the second series

Third Series of Dialogues

The third series of dialogues will run from April 2022. Following the landmark resolution adopted at UNEA-5 to end plastic pollution and building on the outcomes of the first two series, the dialogues will encourage increased engagement of the Geneva community with future negotiations on the matter. These include the meetings of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) from the second half of 2022 to 2024, as well as preparatory meetings within the ad-hoc open-ended working group in May 2022. The series will also continue to foster stronger cooperation and coordinated actions ahead of other milestones in the environmental agenda, including the BRS COPs, the 2022 UN Ocean Conference, SAICM ICCM5, UNEA-6 and other processes in Geneva, such as at the WTO.

Meetings of the open-ended ad hoc working group (OEWG) in May 2022 and meetings of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in November 2022, May 2023, November 2023, April 2024, and October 2024
2021-2022 BRS COPs in person session in June 2022
UN Ocean Conference in June 2022
76th World Health Assembly in May 2023
2023 BRS COPs in May 2023
SAICM ICCM5 in September 2023
UNEA-6 in February 2024

The third series of dialogues is organized in collaboration with the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, the Center for International Environmental Law, the Global Governance Centre at the Graduate Institute, IUCN, Norway, Switzerland, the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS), and the University of Geneva.

Events in 2022

Life Below Water and Microplastic Pollution: From Science to Policy | 6 April 2022 | UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development Side Event co-convened with the University of Geneva
Next steps for the plastic pollution treaty: Vision and priorities for commitments and action | 7 April 2022
Briefing on the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group to Prepare for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to End Plastic Pollution | 19 May 2022
Health, Chemicals, Plastics & a Non-Toxic Circular Economy | 9 June 2022 | BRS COPs Side Event | Co-convened with IPEN, Switzerland and Uruguay
Plastics & Refuse-Derived Fuel: Fuel Product or Plastic Waste Export? | 9 June 2022 | BRS COPs Side Event | Co-convened with IPEN
The Invisible Global Crisis: Exceeding the Limits of the Pollution Planetary Boundary – New Science and Opportunities to Tackle Threats to Human and Marine Life | 27 June 2022 | UN Ocean Conference Side Event | Co-convened with IPEN, University of Gothenburg, Swedish Institute for Marine Environment and Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association
How Plastic Waste Shipments Undermine Real Solutions to Ocean Plastic Pollution | 28 June 2022 | UN Ocean Conference Side Event | Co-convened with EEB and Break Free From Plastic
Briefing on the 1st Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution (Plastic Pollution INC-1) | 2 November 2022

Sessions with special support from the series:

OEWG to Prepare the INC to End Plastic Pollution Technical Briefing | Health, Chemicals, Plastics & a Non-Toxic Circular Economy | 29 May 2022, 20:20-21:20 CEST

Events in 2023

The series will continue in 2023 with various events in support of global negotiations and processes in Geneva. The exact dates will be announced soon. Sign up for our newsletter to stay tuned.

Diálogo sobre Plásticos (português) | A caminho do tratado internacional | 1 Mar 2023, 12:00 – 13:30 CET
En route pour Paris: Négociation pour un instrument international juridiquement contraignant sur la pollution plastique (Pollution Plastique CIN-2) | 15 mars 2023, 15:00-16:30 CET

Documents

Outcomes of the First Series of Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues

Dialogues from November 2022 – February 2021 | Outcomes published on 26 February 2021

Outcomes of the Second Series of Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues

Dialogues from August 2021 – February 2022 | Outcomes published on 1 April 2022

Plastics and the Environment

The Plastics and the Environment series is a set of online resources on the plastics crisis, its impact on people and the environment, and international cooperation to address this global problem. Compiled by the Geneva Environment Network, the series includes resources and news from organizations in Geneva and beyond, including UN-system organizations and other IOs, governmental authorities, civil society organizations, academic institutions and journals, and renowned newspapers.

Explore the resources

All Events

Briefing on the 1st Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution (Plastic Pollution INC-1)

2 November 2022

How Plastic Waste Shipments Undermine Real Solutions to Ocean Plastic Pollution

UN Ocean Conference Side Event | Co-convened with EEB and Break Free From Plastic | 28 June 2022

The Invisible Global Crisis: Exceeding the Limits of the Pollution Planetary Boundary – New Science and Opportunities to Tackle Threats to Human and Marine Life

UN Ocean Conference Side Event | Co-convened with IPEN, University of Gothenburg, Swedish Institute for Marine Environment and Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association | 27 June 2022