After seven days of intense negotiations from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, 2024, the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, concluded early Saturday morning, Dec. 2 2024, without achieving a legally binding treaty to combat global plastic pollution.
The talks, aimed at crafting an Internationally Legally Binding Instrument (ILBI), underscored the complexity of aligning diverse political and economic priorities while addressing an urgent environmental crisis. However, a promising foundation for continued dialogue emerged, with plans to reconvene for INC-5.2 in early 2025, pending final confirmation.
Here’s What we Know:
Progress amid Slow starts, Early Divisions and Bottlenecks
In the early days, negotiations at Busan were marked by a slow start with stakeholders attending citing disorganization within the convention.The discussions began with high expectations as countries tackled the Chair’s third non-paper, which aimed to shape the negotiations.
As the week progressed, frustration mounted over the slow pace of discussions. Calls for procedural voting grew louder, but consensus remained elusive. On Thursday, INC Chair Luis Vayas Valvidieso released a revised draft treaty text earlier than anticipated, intending it to guide the final days of negotiations.
However, the absence of binding measures and clear commitments to reduce harmful plastics drew criticism from environmental groups,including World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) and Greenpeace Africa.
WWF criticized the draft, voicing concerns over the exclusion of binding global bans and clear commitments to reduce harmful plastics. "A low-ambition treaty is a death sentence for our planet," said Eirik Lindebjerg, global plastics policy lead at WWF warning that a weak treaty could spell disaster for the planet.
Despite the absence of a finalized treaty, the Chair's fifth non-paper eventually received broad endorsement as delegates from nations like the United States, Norway and Rwanda pushed for decisive action to adopt the non-paper, framing it as a basis for substantive negotiations.
This document outlines critical measures, including product phase-out lists, caps on plastics production and a comprehensive financing mechanism. These provisions reflect a growing international consensus on the need for ambitious global rules. However, unresolved differences remained on key issues.
Articles addressing finance mechanisms and production caps encountered resistance from some delegations, emphasizing the influence of economic interests on the negotiation table.
This impasse delayed consensus, reflecting the broader challenge of balancing environmental priorities with national economic agendas.
Reflections From The Frontlines
Stakeholders and participants at INC-5 shared nuanced perspectives on the outcomes. Many expressed disappointment over the lack of a concluded agreement but emphasized the momentum achieved.
Anke Boykin, Senior Director of Global Environmental Policy at PepsiCo, noted, “Progress has been made-not only in the evolved text but also in the depth of the debate.”
Similarly, Ed Shepherd, Senior Global Sustainability Manager-Circular Economy at Unilever, highlighted the collaborative spirit among nations, urging governments to build on this foundation for INC-5.2.The draft’s potential to facilitate clearer definitions of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and globally harmonized rules offers hope for meaningful breakthroughs in subsequent negotiations.
Interconnected Agendas: INC-5 And COP29
Simultaneously, COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, provided a platform to align climate action with circular economy principles.
Discussions on embedding low-carbon growth models and resource efficiency dovetailed with INC-5’s objectives, illustrating the shared vision of addressing plastic pollution through sustainable practices. The synergy between the two global fora reinforced the urgent call for comprehensive solutions that bridge environmental and economic imperatives.
Path Forward: INC-5.2 In Nairobi
The road ahead demands renewed collaboration. Although INC-5 did not achieve its objective of delivering a new treaty to the world, notable progress was still made towards this aim. “We are not leaving Busan discouraged,” shared the EU.
Stakeholders also noted a strong consensus among the majority of countries on addressing critical issues such as product design, effective waste management and sustainable plastic production. These measures are widely supported as essential steps toward reducing plastic pollution and fostering a circular economy.
INC-5.2 presents an opportunity to bridge remaining divides and establish a treaty with robust global rules. As nations prepare for the next chapter of negotiations, the imperative is clear: unified action to combat plastic pollution simply cannot wait.