Page 23 - Plastics News Issue December 2024
P. 23
REPORT
Summary report of INC-5 held at Busan, Korea from 25 November – 1
December 2024, attended by AIPMA Environment cell & GCPRS Chairman
Mr. Hiten Bheda and Co-chairman Mr. Hareh Samghvi
5th Session of the
Intergovernmental
Negotiating Committee to
Develop an International
Legally Binding Instrument
on Plastic Pollution,
Including in the Marine
Environment (INC-5):
VER 3300 delegates and government 5.2) adopted resolution 5/14 in 2022 to end
delegations had assembled in Busan, plastic pollution. This resolution established the
OSouth Korea for INC 5 the 5th Session Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC)
of the Inter-Governmental Negotiating Commit- to develop an international legally binding instru-
tee for the Global Plastic Treaty which began on ment on plastic pollution, including in the marine
25 Nov 2024 and the plenary session ended at environment. The INC scheduled five meetings
about 3.15amon Dec 2 2024. between November 2022 and November 2024,
with the hope that the Committee would com-
“INC-5 has not yet reached the summit of our plete its work by the end of 2024. Ultimately,
efforts.” Despite long hours of difficult negotia- however, the INC was unable to reach agree-
tions, delegates to the fifth session of the Inter- ment by the end of its fifth session (INC-5). In
governmental Negotiating Committee were un- the early hours of Monday morning, many hours
able to reach agreement on a new treaty to end after the scheduled end of INC-5, delegates
plastic pollution. agreed to suspend the session and reconvene
in 2025.
Driven by public concern about plastic pollution
and an expanding body of scientific evidence of They also agreed to base future discussions
the resulting harm to human health and the envi- on a Chair’s Text, issued on Sunday, 1 Decem-
ronment, the resumed session of the fifth meet- ber 2024. This text was a culmination of efforts
ing of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA- to revise an initial non-paper, circulated by INC
December 2024 PLASTICS NEWS 23
