Inside INC-5

World leaders convene in Busan, Republic of Korea, for the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) aiming to finalize the world’s first international treaty to combat plastic pollution.

November 28, Busan - Delegates worked at a frenetic pace to make progress at the midway point of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to develop an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

Basing their discussions on the INC Chair’s Non-Paper, while making reference to the compilation of draft text (UNEP/PP/INC.5/4), they also considered states’ submissions as the basis of negotiations for some parts of the text. All four contact groups met for at least six hours during the day and into the night.

Want to dig deeper into today's talks? Read the full Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.

INC 5 Co-Chairs — As delegates struggle through the text in Contact Group 2, the Co-Chairs appeal to delegates to keep their interventions short and precise, Photo: IISD/ENB - Kiara Worth

November 27, Busan - Money was a central concern for delegates as they met on the third day of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to develop an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. The other big-ticket item that held delegates’ attention was technical. Which products and chemicals could be regulated by the new treaty? How will design standards for plastic products be handled? How will the treaty address plastic production and supply issues?

Want to dig deeper into today's talks? Read the full Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.

INC-5 members of civil society stand and raise their fists — During the stocktaking plenary, members of civil society stand and raise their fists, calling for the INC-5 Chair to give rights holders an opportunity to speak. Photo: IISD/ENB - Kiara Worth

November 26, Busan - Drilling down into the core of what the new treaty to end plastic pollution will cover and how it will operate took up the bulk of the day as delegates gathered for the second day of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to develop an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

Delegates engaged in candid discussions, sharing views on the INC Chair’s Non-Paper, while also referring to the compilation of draft text of the ILBI on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (UNEP/PP/INC.5/4). All four contact groups met at various points during the day.

Want to dig deeper into today's talks? Read the full Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.

Whale an artistic display INC-5 — An artistic display outside the venue, constructed entirely of discarded plastic waste, highlights the severe impact plastic pollution is having on the marine environment. Sperm whales, for example, are often stranded on beaches after ingesting large amounts of plastic debris, such as fishing nets, ropes, plastic bags, and disposable cups. Photo: IISD/ENB, Kiara Worth

November 25, Busan - With seven days left to agree on a new treaty text on plastic pollution, Kim Wan Sup, Minister of Environment, Republic of Korea, set the stage for the final scheduled round of negotiations, stressing that “we must end plastic pollution before plastic pollution ends us.” As science continues to reveal the layers of impact due to the burden of plastic pollution, including to human health and the Earth’s ecosystems, this statement struck a chord with many delegates on the first day of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to develop an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

In his opening remarks, INC Chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso (Ecuador) emphasized that adopting an agreement to end plastic pollution is possible at this meeting, and urged delegates to show “unwavering commitment, relentless effort, and bold political will” to this end.

Follow daily coverage from our Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

Kim Wan-sup, Minister of Environment, Republic of Korea, Photo: IISD/ENB, Kiara Worth

As the finish line nears, ambitious targets feel increasingly out of reach, though expectations remain high.

The 7-day negotiations will zero in on the new “non-paper” proposed by INC Chair Luis Vayas, which aims to bridge gaps between differing positions and shape the final treaty language.

Unresolved issues, such as the treaty’s scope, plastic production, chemicals of concern, and financing, remain sticking points. How states will address these gaps will determine whether the new treaty rises to the ambition countries set when they agreed to end plastic pollution.

IISD policy advisors will be supporting negotiations on the ground.

Follow our Earth Negotiations Bulletin for daily updates on the progress.

IISD’s Five Key Expectations for the Plastics Treaty

Addressing the entire plastics life cycle

IISD supports a treaty that tackles plastics across their entire life cycle—from production to waste management.

Researchers at IISD Experimental Lakes Area have uncovered troubling evidence of microplastics' pervasive presence in ecosystems. Microplastics are present in water and the fish fillets that we eat and are carried through global wind patterns and water cycles.

This suggests that even the highest quality downstream policy instruments will be insufficient to contain the full extent of plastic pollution. For the treaty to effectively address the issue at hand, a whole life cycle approach must be addressed with a particular focus on upstream measures. We must start reducing and restricting certain types of plastic production if we truly want to eliminate plastic from our food, water, bodies, and environment.

National commitments and transparency

Implementation of the treaty will rely on national action. It is therefore important to call for the submission of national action plans that outline each country’s commitments, and to incorporate transparency mechanisms that will require each country to monitor their actions. Clear reporting requirements will require agreed definitions of standards for tracking plastic emissions, such as measuring plastic leakage into the environment and conducting risk assessments. Explicit guidelines for establishing baselines, setting targets, and measuring progress are essential for transparency and accountability.

International trade measures

Plastic is one of the planet's most traded goods and components. Thus, the treaty should address trade measures appropriate to the disciplines of the convention.

Such rules could include controls on production, bans on most harmful products, standardized recycling requirements to curb pollution effectively, as well as the alignment of public financial flows, such as subsidies, with the objectives of the treaty. Ensuring that such provisions are functioning effectively will require addressing trade aspects of such measures to ensure that the new rules are not circumvented.

Aligning treaty measures with WTO principles will ensure fair, non-discriminatory practices that can help foster responsible production and reduce harmful plastic use globally. This approach aims to reduce plastic pollution by 2040 through cohesive and enforceable actions.

Respecting Indigenous rights and knowledge systems

Science-based approach and a living treaty

Our understanding of the impacts of plastic pollution is still evolving. It is therefore important to ensure the treaty can adapt in response to scientific developments. Ongoing research, such as research on real lakes currently taking place at IISD Experimental Lakes Area, continually sheds light on new pathways and interactions with ecosystems, underscoring the need for science-based adaptability in treaty implementation. Involvement of scientific organizations is essential to keep the treaty effective and responsive over time.

IISD's Earth Negotiations Bulletin Reporting On-Site

For over 30 years, Earth Negotiations Bulletin has provided authoritative, in-depth reporting on United Nations negotiations involving the environment and development. Our reporters will be covering each day of the talks in Busan, explaining what's happening and what it means for climate action.

What to Expect at Plastics INC-5

Q and A with Tallash Kantai of Earth Negotiations Bulletin on INC-5.

Explainer

18 novembre 2024

How Will a Global Plastics Treaty Impact Trade?

A global plastics treaty may influence trade by imposing new regulations on plastic production, fostering recycling efforts, and promoting sustainable alternatives while addressing potential challenges for developing economies.

Explainer

8 octobre 2024

We all have to keep plastics out of our lakes and rivers

In an opinion piece, IISD-ELA's Pauline Gerrard writes that researchers in Toronto found an average of 123 microplastics in one serving of freshwater fish, vastly more than the nine microplastics ingested in a serving of grocery store Alaska pollock found in a study by the same authors published earlier this year.

IISD in the news

18 septembre 2024

Avoiding a Trade Crisis as Countries Look to Phase Out Plastic Pollution

Why efforts to curb plastic pollution need to consider potential trade complications.

Insight

6 août 2024

Our INC-5 Experts

Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder

Vice-President, Global Strategies and Managing Director, Europe

Ieva Baršauskaitė

Lead, Trade and the Green Transition

Emily Kroft

Water Policy and Youth Engagement Officer, IISD-ELA

Lynn Wagner

Senior Director, Tracking Progress

About INC-5

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the highest decision-making body on environmental matters, resolved in March 2022 to develop a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, including in marine environments. This resolution initiated the INC process, giving delegates two years to negotiate an agreement. Since then, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee has met four times, with INC-5 marking a crucial step towards finalizing this global treaty.

Find out more