At INC4, our Executive Director, Siddika Sultana, emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive treaty to address plastic pollution across its entire life cycle. Key points from her opening statement include:

Focus on Mitigation: The primary focus of the treaty should be on mitigating plastic pollution through phased reductions in production and consumption, with less reliance on recycling as a solution.

Building on Existing Frameworks: Member States should use the revised Zero draft as a foundation for negotiations, concentrating on clarifying obligations and refining the text without rehashing discussions on scope. The existing scope outlined in UNEA Resolution 4/15, covering the full life cycle, should remain intact.

Inclusion of Provisions: The treaty should encompass provisions addressing chemicals, emissions, trade, and transparency. Intersessional work should compile a list of concerning chemicals for inclusion in the treaty’s annexes, with well-defined criteria for their selection.
Emphasis on Supply-Side Controls: Controlling the quantity of plastic production is crucial for unlocking the benefits of reuse and recycling, while also reducing the cost of future remediation and cleanup.

Prioritizing Alternatives: Control measures should prioritize minimizing plastic production and promoting the development of plastic-free products, advocating for banning recycling due to associated risks such as worker exposure to toxic chemicals and the release of microplastics.

Read the full statement: https://resolutions.unep.org/incres/uploads/esdo_opening_statement_on_inc4.pdf