December 2, 2024
Despite tireless efforts by the INC Chair and government negotiators to finalise a global plastics treaty, it will not be agreed in Busan, as planned.
We are encouraged by the increased alignment amongst over 100 countries on critical elements such as global phase-outs and sustainable levels of plastic production. Never before have so many countries clearly articulated support for these obligations. The latest text from the INC Chair is also a step forward on product design and waste management as a basis for future negotiations.
Disappointingly, consensus among all nations remains elusive, which further delays critical action to end plastic pollution. It also fails to deliver the certainty that business needs to mobilise investment and scale solutions.
At the resumed INC5.2 session, governments must make a choice. They can continue negotiating a treaty with universal support but little impact. Or they can agree on a treaty based on strong global rules across the full lifecycle of plastics and with a comprehensive financing mechanism, confident in knowing that this is what the majority of governments, business and citizens want. There’s no time to waste: we cannot afford this process sliding into unending negotiations.
The 275+ members of the Business Coalition stand ready to work together with policymakers across the world to secure the treaty that business needs, and the majority of nations want.
Chemicals and polymers of concern
Problematic and avoidable plastic products
Reduce, Reuse, Refill and repair of plastics and plastic products
Product design and performance
Extended Producer Responsibility
Waste management
The draft treaty text includes a (sub-)section related to this focus area, but the proposed provisions do not reflect the Business Coalition’s recommendations.
The draft treaty text proposes provisions that are at least partly aligned with the Business Coalition recommendations, but some major changes still need to be incorporated and/ or it lacks the necessary references to develop technical specifications to make them meaningful, operational and enforceable.
The draft treaty text proposes provisions that are mostly aligned to the Business Coalition’s recommendations, and it references the need to develop technical specifications to ensure harmonised implementation.
The draft treaty text proposes provisions that are aligned to the Business Coalition’s recommendations, and it requires technical specifications to be adopted by the INC or the future governing body to help governments to implement harmonised and effective regulations.
The draft treaty text contains both the legal provisions and the technical specifications needed to help governments to implement harmonised and effective regulations in line with the Business Coalition’s recommendations.