Towards Plastic Pollution INC-2

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.

Pre INC-2 Sessions

In 2022 the first two meetings for the development of the international legally binding agreement on plastic pollution took place. 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.

Towards INC-2

The second session of the INC will take place in Paris, France, from 29 May to 2 June 2023. Ahead of INC-2, regional consultations will be held on 28 May 2023. As requested at the end of the first session, at INC-2 the committee will take stock of the document prepared by the secretariat. This document will present potential options for elements towards an international legally binding instrument. It will reflect UNEA resolution 5/14 undertaking a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastics, including identifying the objective, substantive provisions including core obligations, control measures, and voluntary approaches, implementation measures, and means of implementation. This document could include both legally binding and voluntary measures. The content of this document will include views expressed by Members during INC and their written submissions.

241 written submissions from member states and other stakeholders are available on the INC secretariat website.

INC-2 Programme

As of 6 March 2023, according to the provisional agenda,  INC-2 should unfold in the following manner:

1. Opening of the session.
2. Election of officers.
3. Organizational matters.
4. Preparation of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
5. Other matters.
6. Adoption of the report of the session.
7. Closure of the session.

More details are available in the annotated provisional agenda.

Logistical information and updates on the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee

The registration to participate to INC-2 meetings is open until 28 April 2023.  On INC-2 official registration webpage, specific information are provided for the registration of:

• State members of UN, members of UN specialized agencies and regional economic integration organizations
• Intergovernmental Organization (IGOs)
• United Nations System Entities
• Stakeholders
• Media

An Indico registration guide book has been made available for attendees and can be found here.

States Members of the United Nations and members of United Nations specialized agencies wishing to receive financial support for participation are required to filled an online form and submit required documents by 31 March 2023.

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:

• 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 March 2023, 15:00 – 16:30 CET

INC Secretariat Webinars

Ahead of the session starting in May 2023, the committee has organized Webinars for stakeholders to share information from the written submissions.  

• Webinar 2 | 2 February 2023 | The recording is available here.
• Webinar 1 | 31 January 2023 |  The recording can be found here.

High Ambition Coalition

• The Governments of Ghana and Norway hosted a webinar ‘Increasing Circularity of Plastics in the Economy’, on 22 March 2023 at 10:00 CET
• The Government of Rwanda, as the Co-Chair of the Coalition, hosted the webinar ‘Reducing Plastic Production and Consumption’, on 16 March 2023 at 14:00 CET.

Nairobi Group of Friends

On the sidelines of the preparations to INC-2, the Nairobi Group of Friends to Combat Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution (NGos), co-chaired by Chile and Portugal, hosted an online event “The Nairobi Dialogue, One Year of Resolution, Expectations of Stakeholders” on Wednesday 1 March.

WTO IDP

At the WTO Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP) held on 16 February 2023, stakeholders made the point on developments to reduce plastic pollution, in the aim of bringing concrete outcomes to the13th WTO Ministerial Conference to be hosted in Abu Dhabi in 2023. The event served as a bridge to take stock of achievements made at INC-1 and preparations ahead of INC-2. The INC Secretariat as well as organizations involved in the IDPs gave an overview of their analysis and studies on interconnections between the negotiated plastic treaty, trade and plastic waste management.→ List of all presentations

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.

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.

Additional Resources

• The report launched by Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health explicitly tells that the current rate of plastic production, use and disposal are unsustainable and a threat to health. It calls for a strong plastics treaty based on rigid deadlines and national contributions and which addresses the chemicals used to produce plastics to simplify them and make plastics composition more transparent. The report also recognizes that the production of plastics will continue but should be limited to essential use and avoid being used for disposable items. Finally, the Commission recommends that the global plastic treaty is centered on the principles of social and environmental justice.
• Inside Climate News refers to some of the countries’ opening proposals to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution as strong and expansive. It also deplores the opening plastics treaty proposal from the U.S. delegation to the United Nations which sidesteps calls for cuts in production, praises the benefits of plastics and focuses on national priorities versus global mandates.
• Less plastic or more recycling – nations split ahead of treaty talks | Joe Lo | Climate Home News | 22 February 2023

Who To Follow on Twitter

#PlasticsTreaty #INC2

• Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary, Secretariat for the Plastics INC | @MathurFilipp
• INC Chair, Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez from Peru | @GustavoMezaCua1
• High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution | @HACplastic
• Center for International Environment Law | @CIEL_tweets | Andrés Del Castillo | Giulia Carlini | Carroll Muffett | Jane Patton | Rachel Radvany | David Azoulay
• International Union for Conservation of Nature | @IUCN_Plastics
• International Pollutants Elimination Network | @ToxicsFree | Vito A. Buonsante
• Break Free From Plastic | @brkfreeplastic
• Environmental Investigation Agency | @EIA_news | Christina Dixon
• International Alliance of Waste Pickers | @globalrec_org
• Scientists engaged in plastics research & INC process | Zhanyun Wang | Steve and Deonie Allen | Bethanie Carney Almroth | Scientists’ Coalition for Effective PlasticsTreaty | Idun Rognerud
• Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty | @WWF & Ellen MacArthur Foundation @circulareconomy
• Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP | @andersen_inger
• Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions | @brsmeas