UN Plastics Treaty

INC-1

In December 2022, the first negotiating session of the UN Plastics Treaty (INC-1) convened in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, where delegates discussed procedures and foci to set the stage for forthcoming negotiations. There, it became apparent that despite widespread agreement that a UN Plastics Treaty is urgently needed, there is disagreement over what that should look like. Major oil-and-gas-producing nations like the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and some Asian countries proposed the creation of country-specific National Action Plans to set their own non-binding targets. On the other end of the spectrum, a “high-ambition coalition” of countries led by Norway and Rwanda called for a reduction in plastic production as well as a phase-out of certain plastic products and toxic chemical additives. Other UN member states, including many countries in Africa, as well as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Switzerland are calling for a more global approach to addressing the plastic pollution crisis.

INC-3

In November 2023, the third negotiating session of the UN Plastics Treaty (INC-3) was held in Nairobi, Kenya—approximately 5 miles, as the crow flies, from the Dandora dump site, a massive heap of plastic and other wastes, some imported from other nations as part of the globalized, industrial waste trade. INC-3 concluded with some encouraging new developments, including substantive discussions and a greater recognition for participation by Indigenous and other non-Civil society groups (hereafter referred to as “third-sector” groups). Negotiators also faced obstacles that continue to threaten the integrity of the agreement: Experts emphasized that plastic, petrochemical, and fossil fuel industry presence and influences on the negotiations and during INC-3 are a primary concern. Some countries proposed a national rather than global approach for binding treaty provisions, though binding rules are needed to significantly reduce plastic production. And while delegates dug into reading, substantially discussing, and developing the treaty’s initial starting document—the Zero Draft—during INC-3, UN Member states failed to reach an agreement on intersessional work to revise the draft ahead of INC-4.

INC-5

In late November 2024, the fifth negotiating session of the UN Plastics Treaty (INC-5) was held in Busan, Republic of Korea. While INC-5 was slated as the final session, negotiators from over 170 countries remained gridlocked late on the final day (December 1), failing to agree on including measures to reduce plastic production. During INC-5, ambitious countries and observers emphasized that prioritizing a strong treaty is more valuable than settling for a weak agreement now, unlike the industry’s preference for voluntary commitments that exclude plastic production.

As in the previous four sessions, progress at INC-5 was obstructed by fossil fuel and plastics industry influence, compounded by the exclusion of rightsholders disproportionately impacted by plastic pollution. Despite pressure from a handful of petrostates, the majority of countries are rallying together for a strong treaty, with more than 100 countries backing Panama’s proposal to reduce plastic production, 95 supporting legally binding targets to regulate harmful chemicals, and over 120 nations calling for a treaty with robust implementation measures. This INC also saw a record-breaking turnout—3,300 delegates total—representing governments and observers, reflecting the treaty’s growing importance on the global stage.