Much work “remains to be done” to finalise a Global Plastics Treaty, said Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) chair Gustavo Adolfo Meza-Cuadra Velasquez.
Over the course of the third INC session – which concluded yesterday (19 November) – members discussed the Zero Draft (the first draft of the “game-changing” Global Plastics Treaty), ensured the views of all members were included, prepared a validated, co-facilitator merged text, and found a way forward on issues not yet discussed.
Members also agreed on a on a starting point for negotiations at the fourth session (INC-4) as they continue to aim to establish the Global Plastics Treaty by the end of 2024.
“These past 10 days have been a significant step forward towards the achievement of our objective to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution,” said Meza-Cuadra Velasquez.
“But it has also recalled us that much remains to be done both in narrowing down our differences and in developing technical work to inform our negotiations,” he added.
Subscribe to Sustainability Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest sustainability news sent straight to your inbox everyday
As reported by BusinessGreen, Saudi Arabia has been pushing for the Global Plastics Treaty to focus on improving recycling and reuse rates out of concern that cutting plastic could decrease the demand for fossil fuels.
“We need to find a way forward without oil and gas producers dictating the terms of our survival,” said Greenpeace head of delegation Graham Forbes.
“We have one year to turn this around, and to ensure that we are celebrating our collective success instead of dooming ourselves to a dark and dangerous future,” he added.
INC executive secretary Jyoti Mathur- Filipp commented: “We must work collectively ensuring all views are heard so that we can build consensus and move forward swiftly to fulfil our mandate.”
