Legally Binding Deal on Plastic Pollution – Will talks succeed?
On 25 November 2024, talks began in Busan, South Korea, seeking a legally binding deal on plastics pollution.
The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution which is part of UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has been working towards this event for the past 2 years. This is its fifth session (INC-5) which aims to conclude negotiations and finalize the text of the agreement.
“The excessive reliance of humanity on the convenience of plastics has resulted in an exponential increase in plastic waste. The waste accumulated in our oceans and rivers now jeopardizes the lives of future generations,” H.E. Yoon Suk Yeol President of the Republic of Korea, said in a video message to the INC.
More than 3,800 participants have registered to participate in INC-5 – the highest number of the five meetings – representing more than 170 countries and over 600 Observer organizations.
“The success of these negotiations will directly shape the world we live in – now and in the future -, because once the ink is dry, words must be followed by action, and we should all have our eyes on this instrument’s implementation.” said Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary of the INC. “
“The moment of truth is here to end plastic pollution. Not a single person on this planet wants to witness plastic in their communities or washing up on their shores. Not a single person wants chemical-laced plastic particles in their bloodstreams, organs, or their unborn babies,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
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Header Image: A 30-foot high monument entitled ‘Turn off the plastics tap‘ by Canadian activist and artist Benjamin von Wong outside the venue for the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2022. Image by UNEP/Cyril Villemain