Update
Plastic Pollution INC-2
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
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.
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.
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.
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
- INC Chair to prepare zero draft of international agreement on plastic pollution as Paris negotiations end | 3 June 2023
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
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:
- Briefing on the 2nd Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution (Plastic Pollution INC-2) | 27 April 2023 | 15:00 – 16:30 CEST
- 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
- Diálogo sobre Plásticos (português) | A caminho do tratado internacional | 1 Mar 2023, 12:00 – 13:30 CET
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.
In-session Submissions
- Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm Conventions (BRS) on Agenda Item 4
- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on Agenda Item 4
- OHCHR Statement on Agenda Item 4
- IUCN Statements on Agenda Item 4
- International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- International Labour Organization (ILO) on Agenda Item 4
- World Health Organization (WHO) on Agenda Item 4
- Geneva Cities Hub
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.
Additional Resources
- Dans les négociations sur le plastique, les industriels ont dépêché 190 lobbyistes | Mediapart | 2 June 2023
- PLASTICS 101 | A quick guide to the global plastics negotiations | UNDP
- High Ambition Coalition Joint Ministerial Statement INC-2 | 26 May 2023
- Troubling Toxics: Eliminating Harmful Plastic Chemicals Through The Plastics Treaty | IPEN | 29 May 2023
- Plastic Treaty News | IPEN | 28 May 2023
- IPEN’s new Plastics website
- Japan joins anti-plastic coalition ahead of Paris treaty talks, leaving US isolated | Climate Home News | 26 May 2023
- Experts sound the alarm on toxic chemicals ahead of plastic treaty negotiations | GRIST | 25 May 2023
- Preparatory Materials for the Plastics Treaty INC-2 | CIEL | 25 May 2023
- Trends in Trade Flows Across the Life Cycle of Plastics: Preliminary Review | TESS | 25 May 2023
- Information submitted by the Secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (UNEP/PP/INC.2/INF/9) | 24 May 2023
- Information submitted by the Secretariat of the International Labour Organization (ILO)(UNEP/PP/INC.2/INF/10) | 24 May 2023
- Plastics treaty: Will the developing world be heard? | The Stream | Al-Jazeera | 24 May 2023
- IUCN Briefing for Negotiators: Legal Process of Treaty Negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty INC-2 | IUCN | 22 May 2023
- Previewing the Second Round of Negotiations to Advance a Plastics Treaty | CIEL | 22 May 2023
- The Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty Resources for the INC-2 Negotiations
- Australia quietly reopens plastic waste exports while UNEP “Turns on the Tap” for burning plastic waste in cement kilns: Policy desperation on the eve of Plastic Treaty negotiations | Break Free From Plastic | 23 May 2023
- Stakeholder reaction to UNEP announcement on badges at INC-2 | Greenpeace International | 20 May 2023
- Stakeholder reaction to UNEP announcement on badges at INC-2 | Magnus Løvold | 20 May 2023
- Finance Leadership Group on Plastics contributes to development of international instrument to end plastic pollution | UNEP FI | 19 May 2023
- Stakeholder reaction to UNEP announcement on badges at INC-2 | The Guardian | 18 May 2023
- Stakeholder reaction to UNEP announcement on badges at INC-2 | CIEL | 16 May 2023
- Role of chemicals and polymers of concern in the global plastics treaty | Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty | 16 May 2023
- IPEN Quick Views INC-2 | IPEN | 16 May 2023
- Suggested Language for Cities in the New Plastic Pollution Treaty | Geneva Cities Hub | 15 May 2023
- ‘Putting an End to Plastic Pollution: WWF’s Call to Urgently Regulate High-Risk Plastic Products’ | WWF | 15 May 2023
- Plastics Treaty: Phase Out Fossil Fuels to End Pollution | Human Rights Watch | 15 May 2023
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions note to the INC-2 Secretariat (UNEP/PP/INC.2/INF/7) | 12 May 2023
- Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat note to the INC-2 Secretariat (UNEP/PP/INC.2/INF/6) | 12 May 2023
- Initial Considerations for INC-2 | EIA | 11 May 2023
- Inclusion of the Informal Recycling Sector in a Global Agreement on Plastic Pollution | IKHAPP | 11 May 2023
- UN chemicals & waste negotiations advances and lessons for future plastics treaty | CIEL | 12 May 2023
- Chemicals in Plastics: A Technical Report | UNEP & BRS Secretariat | 3 May 2023
- Policy recommendations of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty for consideration at INC-2 | Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty | 2 May 2023
- Global Governance of Chemicals, Waste and Pollution Prevention | Karen Raubenheimer, Niko Urho | Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions | 21 April 2023
- G7 Climate, Energy, and the Environment Ministers’ Communiqué | Target on Plastic Pollution | 16 April 2023
- Toward a Global Plastics Treaty: A Survey of State Submissions Ahead of INC-2 | Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law | 7 April 2023
- Non-Party Trade Provisions in Multilateral Environmental Agreements: Key Elements for Consideration in the Context of a Treaty to End Plastic Pollution | CIEL | 6 April 2023
- The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health | Philip J. Landrigan, et al. | Annals of Global Health | 21 March 2023
- Beyond Recycling: Reckoning with Plastics in a Circular Economy | CIEL | 21 March 2023
- Biden’s Administration Global Plastics Plan dubbed “Low Ambition’ and ‘Underwhelming’ | Inside Climate News | 28 February 2023
- Less plastic or more recycling – nations split ahead of treaty talks | Joe Lo | Climate Home News | 22 February 2023
- Cities in the Global Plastics Treaty (negotiations) | ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
- Addressing Microplastics in a Global Agreement on Plastic Pollution | Idun Rognerud, Rachel Hurley, Amy Lusher, Inger Lise Nerland Bråte, and Eirik Hovland Steindal | Norwegian Institute for Water Research | 5 January 2023
- Indigenous voices needed in global plastics treaty talks | Waatea News | 15 December 2022
- At UN Talks, Countries Divided on Approach to Plastics Agreement | Human Rights Watch | 7 December 2022
- Hopes and dreams for the upcoming Plastics Treaty | Zero Waste Europe | 5 December 2022
Who To Follow on Twitter
- 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 | Marina Fernandez
- 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