The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) for the Global Plastics Treaty is being held from August 5–14, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland.

• The first part of the fifth session (INC-5.1) took place in Busan, Republic of Korea, from November 25–December 1, 2024.

About the Global Plastics Treaty

• Introduction: The Global Plastics Treaty is a proposed legally binding international agreement aimed at tackling plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle, from production to disposal.

• Initiated By: The process was initiated through a resolution adopted at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in 2022, mandating negotiations for a comprehensive treaty by 2025.The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) was established by the UNEA to finalise the treaty.
• Members: Over 170 UN member states are participating in negotiations, including developed and developing countries, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and regional blocs such as the African Group and Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC).

Need for a Global Plastics Treaty

• Escalating plastic pollution impacts ecosystems, human health, and economies, requiring coordinated global action.
• Fragmented national policies lack the collective force to tackle marine litter and microplastics effectively.
• Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and vulnerable regions face disproportionate impacts despite contributing minimally to the crisis.

Previous Attempts at Finalising a Treaty

• Early negotiations under the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) laid the groundwork but failed to agree on compliance structures.
• Regional agreements such as  Basel Convention amendments addressed waste trade but did not cover production, consumption, and lifecycle issues comprehensively.
• The INC (Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee) meetings since 2023 made progress on definitions and timelines but stalled over implementation mechanisms.

Different Articles and Roadblocks to the Treaty

Way Forward

• Define Clear Obligations: Developed and developing countries must agree on binding yet flexible rules for capacity building and technology transfer to avoid disputes over commitments and access controls.
• Balance Compliance Approaches: The compliance mechanism should blend facilitation and accountability, ensuring transparency without imposing punitive measures that undermine national sovereignty or discourage participation.
• Harmonize National Plans: National plans should remain ambitious but allow differentiated timelines and flexibility, preventing uniform standards from burdening diverse economies while maintaining global consistency.
• Standardize Evaluation Systems: Clear methodologies and indicators for assessing effectiveness must be agreed upon, with inclusive metrics that integrate scientific, socioeconomic, and traditional knowledge for credible evaluations.
• Empower COP Effectively: The Conference of Parties (COP) must have a well-defined mandate with structured decision-making , combining consensus with fallback voting  to ensure adaptability and prevent institutional paralysis.

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