Negotiators From Around The World Move Forward Talks To Halt Plastic Pollution
Contact Groups run through the measures outlined in the Zero Draft, allowing negotiators to put forward their State’s suggested amendments.
Nairobi, Kenya- World representatives have converged in Nairobi, Kenya, from 13-19 November 2023 for INC-3, the third of five planned sessions for the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee to develop a global treaty to end plastic pollution.
INC-3 is the first opportunity for world governments to come together to discuss and debate the contents of the treaty text’s first draft (known as the Zero Draft and published in September 2023). Right now, the text contains strong and weak measures that could form the foundations of this treaty.
INC-3, the halfway point of the negotiations, is the turning point where negotiators must work together to remove the weaker, vague options and support ambitious and equitable measures.
At INC-3, WWF wants negotiators to avoid the delays and disruptions of INC-2, where a small but powerful bloc of countries with established petrochemical industries stalled negotiations for days on procedural and voting issues.
WWF is concerned that an escalation of such tactics at INC-3 would run out the clock on negotiating more critical issues, resulting in a rushed compromise that sees governments settling for a weak voluntary agreement to ensure consensus
Day 1 of INC-3 (13 November 2023) threw a few potential roadblocks to garnering a strong and ambitious global plastics treaty. A handful of States rejected the Zero Draft, delaying the creation of Contact Groups where States would negotiate the treaty’s terms.
Day 2 (14 November) moved States into Contact Groups fairly quickly - only the morning was spent hearing interventions from Member States before swiftly moving into three Contact Groups by early afternoon. Once in Contact Groups, delegates are not allowed to reveal discussions and proceedings.
The cloak of secrecy with which Contact Group sessions are conducted is meant to provide a safe space for all delegates to air their views. Still, some States also take this opportunity to launch into delaying tactics as they can do this without being called out publicly.
We’ve known some States to roll out massive reams of documents filled with notes on what items in the treaty they would like to amend, add and/or remove. Others engage in filibuster-like action that prolongs discussions or delays decisions.
But while suggestions (and long preambles) can be submitted, no changes will be made to the text of the treaty at this point.
“As highlighted in the first and second INC sessions, it is important to begin discussing means of implementation from the onset. Adopting a business-as-usual approach will only triple global plastic production by 2040, with devastating effects. It is imperative that there is an equitable transition into combatting the plastic pollution crisis,” said Zaynab Sadan, Regional Plastics Policy Advisor, Africa.
Contact Groups run through the measures outlined in the Zero Draft, allowing negotiators to put forward their State’s suggested amendments.
Contact Group 1 reviews objectives and control measures covered in the Zero Draft.
Contact Group 2 looks at the treaty’s means of implementation and implementation measures, including financial support, success metrics, timelines, and measures to ensure States are kept on track.
Contact Group 3 discusses elements of definitions for establishing a common language before progressing into principles (covering such areas as human rights, polluter pays, etc) and the treaty's scope.