A Guide to UNEP Plastic Treaty’s INC-5 Negotiations

With more than half of plastic being used only once before being thrown away, the amount of plastic ending up in landfills and water sources is growing.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is at the forefront of tackling this pollution.

Having failed to reach agreements in the originally allotted time, the first part of UNEP’s extended plastic treaty negotiations (International Negotiating Committee or INC-5.5) took place at the end of 2024 in Busan and part two is soon approaching.

The second part of the fifth session is scheduled to take place from the 5th-14th of August in Geneva, Switzerland, to further solidify the work on plastic pollution.

UNEP’s plastic treaty

UNEP's plastic treaty is officially known as the ‘international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment’.

This is a global agreement currently being negotiated to address the growing issue of plastic pollution.

The treaty recognises the connection between plastic pollution and other environmental crises, including climate change and biodiversity loss.

UNEP’s treaty aims to cover the full lifecycle of plastics, including production, design and disposal.

Key aspects of the treaty include:

• Establish binding rules and obligations for governments to address the full lifecycle of plastic
• Create a framework to align all economic participants with the treaty's objectives
• Include harmonised targets across the plastics value chain
• Ensure companies assess and disclose plastic-related risks and opportunities.

The revised draft text of the treaty consists of six parts, covering areas such as:

• Primary plastic polymers
• Chemicals of concern
• Product design
• Waste management
• Financing
• Implementation.

The UNEP treaty aims to promote an enabling policy environment for transitioning to a sustainable and equitable economy, suggesting initiatives like extended producer responsibility schemes (EPR).

“Our mandate has always been ambitious. But ambition takes time to land. We have many of the elements that we need, and Busan has put us firmly on a pathway to success,” comments INC Chair, Ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso. 

“I call on all delegations to continue making paths, building bridges, and engaging in dialogue. Let us always remember that our purpose is noble and urgent: to reverse and remedy the severe effects of plastic pollution on ecosystems and human health,”

The UNEP plastic treaty represents a significant global effort to address the growing problem of plastic pollution and its wide-ranging environmental impacts.

The expected outcome of INC-5.2 

This additional session was necessitated after INC-5, held in Busan, South Korea from November 25 to December 1, 2024, failed to reach a final agreement on the treaty text.

The purpose of INC-5.2 is to conclude negotiations on a legally binding global instrument to address plastic pollution.

Delegates from UN member states, along with representatives from industry, environmental groups, trade associations and international bodies are expected to attend in Geneva.

Although INC-5.2 hopes to conclude negotiations, the conference is set to face challenges including:

• Resolving divergences between oil and plastic-producing nations and the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) countries
• Addressing controversial proposals such as production caps and phasing out certain chemicals and product types
• Reaching agreement on rules of procedure for decision-making.

The conference is set to discuss key issues like product design and waste management, plastic products and chemicals of concern, plastic supply and production as well as financial mechanisms. 

“The world’s commitment to ending plastic pollution is clear and undeniable. In Busan, talks moved us closer to agreeing on a global legally binding treaty that will protect our health, our environment and our future from the onslaught of plastic pollution,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). 

“The meeting made good progress towards securing the deal the world demands. 

“Through the Busan talks, negotiators reached a greater degree of convergence on the structure and elements of the treaty text, as well as a better understanding of country positions and shared challenges. 

“But it is clear there is persisting divergence in critical areas and more time is needed for these areas to be addressed."

GAIA’s plastic pledge

The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) is at the forefront of negotiations for a legally binding international law aimed at eliminating plastic pollution worldwide, advocating for a bold and binding treaty that covers the full lifecycle of plastics.

GAIA is a worldwide network of more than 1,000 grassroots groups, non-governmental organisations and individuals in more than 90 countries.

GAIA's mission is to catalyse a global shift towards environmental justice by strengthening grassroots social movements that advance solutions to waste and pollution.

“The tides turned at INC-5, and the possibility of an ambitious plastics treaty is now more concrete than it's ever been,” states Ana Rocha, Director of Global Plastics Policy at GAIA.

“At INC-5.2, governments must keep up the momentum and stay strong against fossil fuel interests in order to deliver the treaty that will keep us below 1.5 degrees.

“The organisation works to secure policies that reduce the production and consumption of single-use disposable plastics around the world.”

The alliance provides research that substantiates plastic's harmful value chain and debunks the plastic industry's false solutions like ‘plastic to fuel’ and ‘chemical recycling’.

GAIA supports members in building new systems that move cities from outdated waste management infrastructure to people-centric and community-centric solutions. 

They conduct city-wide waste assessments and brand audits to reveal the true sources of plastic pollution.

The upcoming negotiations at INC-5.2 represent a crucial step towards finalising the UNEP plastic treaty.

As urgency mounts, continued collaboration between governments, industries and civil society organisations like GAIA will be vital in securing a healthier, more sustainable future for all.

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