Hopes of moving from procedure to substance were high at the beginning of day two of the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) to develop an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, held in Paris, France.
However, delegates again found themselves in all-day circular discussions around the application of the draft rules of procedure, as well as on how to continue proceedings on the more contentious draft rules (on voting rights and the adoption of decisions). Delegations were torn on whether the draft rules of procedure should be applied provisionally at INC-2, with some in support and others calling to adopt the rules in an expedited manner before initiating substantive discussions.
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After a round of discussions on these issues in the morning session, INC Chair Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Peru, proposed, and delegates agreed, to try to resolve differences through open-ended consultations, co-facilitated by Hiroshi Ono (Japan) and Marcelo Cousillas (Uruguay). These consultations first took place over an extended lunch break.
When delegates returned to plenary from the consultations at the tail end of the day, Co-Facilitator Ono reported that the discussions had focused on the draft rule related to the adoption of decisions, with Co-Facilitator Cousillas outlining the new proposed options related to this draft rule. At the request of the representative from Brazil, INC Chair Meza-Cuadra suspended the plenary to allow for another round of informal discussions to break the impasse over the draft rule related to the adoption of decisions.
When plenary reconvened in the early evening, after a brief discussion, INC Chair Meza-Cuadra announced that the open-ended consultations would continue into the night with a view to arriving at a solution by Wednesday morning.
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All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For INC-2, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth.
Morning Plenary
INC Chair Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Peru, addresses delegates during the morning plenary
Massoud Rezvanian Rahaghi, Iran
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary, INC Secretariat
Min-young Han, Republic of Korea
Dennis Clare, Federated States of Micronesia
Sara Elkhouly, Egypt
Juliet Kabera, Rwanda
Halatoa Fua, Cook Islands
Delegates listen to the proceedings
Linroy Christian, Antigua and Barbuda
Marcelo Scappini Ricciardi, Paraguay
Satyendra Kumar, India
Danny Rahdiansyah, Indonesia
Johanna Lissinger Peitz, EU
Maria Al Jishi, Saudi Arabia
Gene Smilansky, US
Joseph Ganongo, Congo
After lengthy discussions, delegates applaud the decision to have open-ended consultations on the rules of procedure
Open-Ended Consultations on the Rules of Procedure
Delegates gather for the open-ended consultations on the rules of procedure
Co-Facilitators Hiroshi Ono, Japan, and Marcelo Cousillas, Uruguay, coordinate the discussions on the draft rules 37 and 38
Afternoon Plenary
After a delayed start, delegates gather for the afternoon plenary
INC Chair Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Peru
Stadler Trengove, UNEP Legal Advisor
Marcelo Cousillas, Co-Facilitator of the Open-Ended Consultations
Hiroshi Ono, Co-Facilitator of the Open-Ended Consultations
Xiaofeng Guo, China
Maria Angélica Ikeda, Brazil
As plenary is suspended, delegates huddle to try find a way forward
Delegates huddle on the podium with the UNEP Legal Advisor
Delegates watch the proceedings from the gallery
Camila Isabel Zepeda Lizama, Mexico
Syed Mujtaba Hussain, Pakistan
Delegates applaud the decision to continue discussions on the rules of procedure in informal consultations
Around the Venue
Delegates from Brazil, Norway and the EU consult informally before the start of negotiations
Delegates from Indonesia and Iran consult
Delegates from China, India and Saudi Arabia consult
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary, INC Secretariat, consults with delegates from China
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary, INC Secretariat, consults with delegates from Saudi Arabia
David Azoulay, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
Vladimir Lenev, Russian Federation, speaks with a delegate
Delegates from Bahrain
Delegates from Thailand
Delegates from Moldova
Delegates from Hungary
Björn Beeler, International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN)
Delegates enjoy a brief break on the grounds of UNESCO Headquarters
