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Daily summary of the fifth round of #PlasticsTreaty Negotiations (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea

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Day 1 of 5
85%

Tuesday | November 26, 2024

Today’s Key Takeaways

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these are the highs of the day
Progress has been made in the negotiations - many delegations submitted proposals that were consolidated and treaty text was streamlined. In the evening, the two contact groups presented their progress in plenary.
Despite lengthy discussions in plenary, countries finally agreed on the proposal by the Chair to only have two parallel groups at every given time, and to do a third parallel discussion in exceptional circumstances to advance critical work while keeping in mind the needs of small delegations.
PerĂş and Rwanda submitted a proposal to reduce 40% of the global use of primary plastics polymers by 2040 from 2025 levels.
Strong voices from the observers' tables took the mic during the plenary, calling for provisions to support human rights, just transition for waste pickers, Indigenous-centered priorities, climate justice, upstream mechanisms, waste trade, proper financial mechanisms. Some also called on voting (rather than consensus) as the treaty negotiation decision-making process to ensure a handful of voices do not limit ambition in the treaty text.
In Contact Group 1, several delegates supported the inclusion of just transition and waste pickers in waste management provisions.
In Contact Group 2, many countries were interested in presenting voting as a decision-making mechanism for the future governing body if consensus cannot be reached. Only a minority opposed it.
In the same group, some Member States raised the need to include considerations for vulnerable populations, including waste workers, while others highlighted the impact of microplastics and hazardous chemicals on health.
these are the lows of the day
In Contact Group 1, a number of governments, citing existing multilateral environmental agreements, stated that the treaty shouldn’t include trade provisions, regardless of the fact that the inclusion of trade provisions is essential to avoid loopholes.
Despite vast evidence, some countries in Contact Group 2 still questioned the human health impacts of plastics.
In the same group, a Member State minimized the need for a strong financial mechanism in the treaty by stating that instead of eliminating plastic, what needed to be done is to prevent plastics from leaking into the environment.
At an event on plastic substitutes and alternatives, a UNEP spokesperson said that plastics were not a problem, but the way we use them is. Thankfully, a member of the Scientists’ Coalition debunked their remarks

The Champion of Today:

Perú 🏆

Peru deserves recognition today for leading alongside Rwanda with a proposal to reduce the global use of primary plastics polymers (PPP) that aligns with circular economy objectives and environmental protection efforts and highlights the importance of collective action as well as the need to adjust strategies to combat plastic pollution effectively. The proposal follows the lead of the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and targets a 40% reduction in PPP usage by 2040 from 2025 levels. It also seeks to establish a flexible plan within the global plastic treaty that includes regular reviews to monitor progress.

Strong voices demand a strong plastic treaty

​​During the plenary, we heard a diverse group of voices from the observers' tables calling on the need for ambitious priorities to be part of the treaty text. The Alliance of Waste Pickers called for stronger recognition of waste pickers' rights and health. The UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights highlighted the little attention that has been paid to human rights during the sessions. Additionally, 16-year-old Aeshnina (Nina) Azzahra Aqilani, representing River Warrior Indonesia and Break Free From Plastic Youth, exposed the devastating impact of plastic and illegal plastic waste trade on her community's health and environment. 

The Society of Native Nations’ call for a treaty that addresses the full life cycle of plastics received a standing ovation.

Day 1 of 5
85%

Monday | November 25, 2024

Day 1

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We observed the following high points:
Civil Society groups made their presence felt through different creative actions. We saw a monumental march in Busan, a petition with 3 million signatures calling for production reduction delivered to delegates, and reuse solutions in action at the Rethinking Plastic Life exhibit.
In the opening plenary, despite some hesitations from a minority of those present, countries agreed that the Chair’s proposed starting point for the work was a good basis for efficient negotiations instead of the long text that resulted from INC-4. Many also recognized the need for improvements and inclusions to the text.
Some countries, including the Republic of Korea, Somalia, and Chile, expressed the importance of the treaty scope to encompass the full life cycle of plastics, starting with production.
Some countries, including Rwanda, Alliance of Small Island States, Vanuatu, UK, Norway, and Vietnam, asked to move on promptly to contact groups (CGs) for substantial negotiations, which are based on the different sections of the treaty text. The Chair proposed that countries hold informal talks first to find common ground so that negotiations would be more effective. The goal is for CGs to reach an agreement by Friday and for the Legal Drafting Group to finish work by Saturday morning in time for plenary on Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
In the evening, countries moved to two CGs (2 and 4). In Group 2, several delegates emphasized the need for the treaty to include measures on emissions and releases with clear definitions. In Group 4, countries exchanged their views, including, but not limited to, aligning the suggested text with other Multilateral Environmental Agreements, the need for additional details on rules of procedure, and the need for streamlining the text.
We observed the following low points:
In plenary, some delegations, including India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, and Uganda, called for consensus as a decision-making process for the treaty, which could limit ambition by giving any country, including low-ambition countries, the power to veto effective treaty measures. Additionally, Iran considered supply, health, and chemicals of concern "irrelevant and beyond [the treaty] mandate."
In Group 2, a minority of voices opposed provisions to cover emissions under the treaty scope. Additionally, we heard a remark denying the impact of microplastics on human health.
Observers continued to experience logistical barriers that made it harder to engage in the process. For example, observers were not provided a chance to speak at plenary, even though many, including the Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus, signed up, and rooms for CG discussions were far too small, with observers - and even country delegates - standing or sitting on the floor for hours.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen was in the hot seat during the Observers' meeting on Sunday and today’s UNEP press conference when failing to directly respond to whether she had pressured some country delegations to lower their positions on production reduction measures.

Rights-holders find creative ways to make their voices heard

Over the past three days, rights-holders' collective voices and actions have been loud and powerful. Starting on Saturday, movement and coalition members blanketed the city with ads, mobilized over 1,500 people to march through the streets of Busan, delivered nearly 3 million petition signatures, and united more than 500 individuals to form a human sign across Haeundae Beach.

Other creative actions included distributing Korean rice cakes, flyers, and local newspapers to engage delegates in the importance of an ambitious treaty that reduces plastic production and protects human health and the environment. 

Participation barriers continue in INC-5

Multiple obstacles at INC-5 hinder observer participation. Observers were not provided an opportunity to speak at the opening plenary, despite many having signed up to speak. The Rethinking Plastic Life exhibit–which allows stakeholders to showcase their perspectives–is a 15-minute walk from where actual negotiations occur.

UNEP also failed to provide a  dedicated meeting room for observers and for the Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus. The latter group especially had to incur high expenses to find a place far from the venue.  The contact group spaces were very small, with insufficient seating to adequately accommodate delegates and observers, raising concerns by several Member States and resulting in some observers being asked to leave. These logistical arrangements make it difficult for delegates and observers to effectively participate in and respond to the negotiations

SPOILER OF THE DAY:

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Staying true to form with its predilection to employ delaying tactics and dilute the ambition of the treaty,  the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia deserves the distinction of SPOILER OF THE DAY!

In the opening plenary, KSA led the charge among the Like-Minded group to push for consensus for decision-making, which, while sounding noble, is a shield to push for the lowest common denominator in these talks.

Additionally, KSA showed resistance to using the Chair’s non-paper as the basis for the negotiations, which was intended to facilitate discussions and streamline negotiations. We expect to see more of the same foot-dragging tactics and stonewalling maneuvers from KSA and its supporting crew of petrostates throughout the week.

Plastic Pollution is a Women’s Issue

Today, we heard topics at the intersection of plastic pollution and women’s issues. In the opening plenary, the delegate from Brazil reminded us that today, 25 November, we commemorate International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

At a meeting with the Women’s Major Group, Dr. Orellana, UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights, highlighted the connection between plastics and women’s and girls' health, as they are disproportionately impacted, calling for a dedicated provision on chemicals of concern and keeping hazardous chemicals out of plastics.

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