INC — Plastic Pollution Treaty
Thelma González's delegate experience at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee sessions on plastic pollution — INC-4 and INC-5.2.
Ágora participated as a civil society delegate in the historic Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) sessions working toward a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Our delegate Thelma González brought youth and Latin American perspectives to this critical environmental negotiation.
About the INC Process
In March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly adopted a historic resolution to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. The INC was established to negotiate this treaty, with a mandate to address the full lifecycle of plastics — from production to disposal.
INC-4 Experience
At the fourth session of the INC, held in Ottawa, Canada, negotiations intensified around key provisions of the treaty text. Thelma González participated in contact groups and side events, advocating for:
- Upstream Measures: Binding obligations to reduce plastic production, not just manage waste
- Just Transition: Ensuring that waste pickers and informal recyclers are protected in the transition to a circular economy
- Youth Inclusion: Formal mechanisms for youth participation in treaty implementation and monitoring
- Chemical Transparency: Full disclosure of chemicals used in plastic production to protect human health
INC-5.2 — Final Negotiations
The resumed fifth session represented the final push toward adopting the treaty text. Key debates centered on:
Production Caps
Whether the treaty should include binding targets to reduce virgin plastic production — the most contentious issue, with petrochemical-producing states resisting caps.
Financing Mechanism
How to fund implementation in developing countries, including debates over extended producer responsibility and a dedicated multilateral fund.
Chemicals of Concern
Identifying and regulating hazardous chemicals in plastics, with implications for human health and environmental justice.
Waste Trade
Addressing the export of plastic waste from wealthy to developing nations, which shifts the burden of pollution to the most vulnerable communities.
Key Insights
The plastic pollution crisis is not just an environmental issue — it is a justice issue. The communities most affected by plastic production, use, and disposal are overwhelmingly in the Global South, and their voices must be central to the solution.
— Thelma González, Ágora Delegate