Plenary convened at 6:12 am on Friday, 15 August, at the resumed fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
INC Chair Luis Vayas (Ecuador) shared that, informed by a small working group addressing his Draft Text Proposal issued on Wednesday, 13 August, and by consultations with members, he had prepared a Chair’s revised text proposal, which was circulated at 12:48 am. This was considered in a Heads of Delegation meeting at 2:00 am. As no action has been taken after consultations on both his text proposals, he said that no further action was being proposed at this stage and announced that the Committee had concluded its work.
While thanking the INC Chair and the Secretariat for their efforts, dozens of delegates expressed disappointment that the Committee had been unable to reach an agreement and conclude its mandate, with some faulting the process for its lack of “transparency,” “inclusivity,” and “clarity.” Some delegations opined that the process had gone beyond its mandate through efforts to include plastic production and chemicals of concern in the future treaty’s text.
Others reiterated their calls for an ambitious treaty that includes a cap on plastic production, addresses chemicals of concern, contains strong decision making modalities, and provides adequate means of implementation for developing countries.
On the way forward, some emphasized their commitment to continuing negotiations in a further resumed INC session, while others preferred a period of reflection on how to bridge the seemingly intractable gaps. Others still called for a “clean slate” and for a “new process.” Several delegates also stressed that the latest iteration of the text was unacceptable as a basis for further negotiations, preferring to use of the Chair’s Text circulated on 1 December 2024. Yet others proposed that the work completed in contact groups, as well as the various iterations of text be available as a basis for further negotiations.
In what many deemed to be a “confusing and haphazard process,” in response to requests for clarity from the US and Kuwait about the way forward, at 9:11 am, INC Chair Vayas adjourned the session to be resumed at a later date.
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All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For INC 5.2 please use: Photo by IISD/ENB - Kiara Worth
Closing Plenary
Plenary is resumed at 6:12 am
Maria AlJishi, Saudi Arabia
Maria Angélica Ikeda, Brazil
Ian Fry, Tuvalu
Marcelo Cousillas, Uruguay
Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway
Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy
Neelesh Kumar Sah, India
Tobias Otieno Ogweno, Kenya
Gwen Sisior, Palau
Safiya Sawney, Grenada
Juteau Tousse, Cameroon
Kate Lynch, Australia
Ryo Nakamura, Japan
Observers watch the proceedings from the gallery
Salman Alajmi, Kuwait
Felix Wertli, Switzerland
Emma Hardy, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK
Dion George, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa
Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Peru
Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP, consults with INC Chair Luis Vayas, Ecuador
Michael Bonser, Canada
Lydia Essuah, Ghana
Haijun Chen, China
Nazli Yenal, Türkiye
Eddy Frank Vásquez-Sánchez, Youth Plastic Action Network
Russian Federation and Brazil raise points of order
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary, INC Secretariat, consults with the Russian Delegation
INC Chair Luis Vayas, Ecuador, adjourns the meeting with the date and location of the resumed session yet to be determined
Media Stakeout
Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP
Journalists ask questions from the floor
Around the Venue
After working through the night, Heads of Delegation arrive for closing plenary
Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP, consults with delegates from Kuwait and Cuba
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary, INC Secretariat, consults with members of the Secretariat
Exhausted delegates arrive in plenary and react to the outcome
Delegates from Uruguay and Mexico consult
Delegates from Australia
Delegates from Nigeria
Delegates from Moldova
Delegates from Cabo Verde
Delegates from the Maldives
The IISD/ENB team covering INC5.2: Christina Fernandez, the Philippines/the Netherlands, Noémie Laurens, France, Tallash Kantai, Kenya, Katarina Hovden, Norway, Annelies van Gaalen, South Africa, and Kiara Worth, South Africa
As the sun rises over Lake Geneva, delegates are reminded that hope remains and a solution will be found