With the latest round of negotiations for a UN Global Plastics Treaty (INC5) over, we look at what happened and what it means for plastic pellet pollution in the treaty text.
The fifth round of negotiations to develop a UN Global Plastics Treaty, known as INC5, took place in Busan, South Korea between the 25th November and 1st December 2024. INC5 was intended to be the last round of negotiations, culminating in an agreed final treaty text. This timeline was often said too ambitious for a UN treaty process as it was only 2 years on from UNEA 5.2, which adopted resolution 5/14 and mandated development of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Though progress was made in developing treaty text, key areas of the treaty remain contentious. As a result no treaty was agreed, with negotiations suspended and set to resume in 2025. It is essential that calls for an ambitious final treaty continue as negotiations are extended into 2025.
Compilation text or Non-paper?
Following the previous round of negotiations at INC4 in April 2024, what is known as the ‘compilation text’ was created by the secretariat, based on text discussions which took place during negotiations at INC4. This resulted in a text containing over 3,000 brackets, denoting text options still to be agreed. Posing a challenge for negotiators to effectively tackle during the limited time available at INC5.
In order to produce a more concise text to use to inform negotiations at INC5, the INC Chair drafted what is dubbed a ‘Non-paper’ following intersessional discussions with delegations between INC4 and INC5. The transparency of this process has been questioned, but at the start of INC5 it was agreed that negotiations would proceed based on the chair’s non-paper, and to be informed by the compilation text.
Plastic pellets at INC5
Negotiations got underway and saw the creation of contact groups, each assigned to focus on discussing articles of the non-paper text. Contact group 2’s allocation included Article 7 of the non-paper text, which includes language relating to pellet pollution. Following discussions in contact group 2, the text addressing plastic pellet pollution remains in the current treaty text draft. The inclusion of plastic pellet pollution prevention in this text at this stage is a positive step toward inclusion in a final treaty, though it should be noted all text is still open to further negotiation at this point and the text on eliminating pellet emissions would benefit from being strengthened. Other Articles such as Existing Plastic Pollution (Article 9) also have relevance to pellets as they are particularly challenging to remove in an environmentally sensitive manner, but high concentrations of pellets have been identified in some areas including nature reserves.
Corporate representation increases again
The Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL) reported that 220 fossil fuel industry representatives were registered at INC5. This figure is more than registered for INC4 (196) and combined represented the largest cohort present at the negotiations, with fossil fuel industry representatives present among some nation’s delegations. This major presence posses a risk of undermining efforts to develop and ambitious Global Plastics Treaty and represents a major conflict of interest.
What next for a Global Plastics Treaty?
INC5 was intended to be the final round of negotiations to agree a UN Global Plastics Treaty. However with key areas of the treaty text still in contention, including; plastic production reduction, chemicals of concern and finance, a final treaty was not agreed upon by the end of the negotiations. As a result of this delegates agreed to pause discussions and reconvene at what has been dubbed ‘INC5.2’ at a later, to be confirmed, date in 2025. These negotiations are expected to utilise the Chairs Text, which is a text based of the non-paper and outcomes from INC5 discussions, as the basis for continued discussion.
Though it is disappointing that a Global Plastics Treaty was not agreed upon at INC5, it is a positive sign that the negotiations will resume in 2025 and a final treaty is still possible. With all text still open to negotiation, it remains vital that language to address plastic pellet pollution remains in the final treaty text and we all call for an ambitious and robust final treaty.
View on from attendees
Amy Youngman, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA): “While the negotiations failed to deliver the urgent treaty the world needs, we are encouraged by the majority of countries standing firm in their ambition to tackle the full lifecycle of plastic pollution, starting with production reduction and addressing chemicals of concern. There is also continued recognition of the need to prevent plastic pellet spills, though we remain concerned that the current draft focuses only on the physical harm, without addressing the chemical toxicity caused by plastic pollution. Despite running out of time, the ongoing commitment to tackling plastic pollution at its source gives us hope, and we are heartened by the growing momentum for meaningful action.”
Falco Martin, Fauna and Flora: "It’s frustrating that another opportunity to agree a strong set of global rules has come and gone. We know that plastic pollution is a major driver within the triple planetary crisis – catalysing biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions and pollution – with serious implications for human health. Any plastics treaty must not ride roughshod over human rights, nor ignore the impacts on biodiversity and human health from all types of plastics, including microplastics.
It is positive to see text on plastic pellets in the latest treaty drafted text but it is essential that this text is strengthened and that it stays in the final text to be agreed in 2025. During the negotiations in Busan, some member states have been saying that plastic pellets accidental releases are fully covered under the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is not true. While it is great to see the IMO development, it does not have global reach or cover the whole supply chain as it is focussed on the "maritime transport of plastic pellets in freight containers”. Plastic pellets are being lost to the environment at every stage of the global supply chain, from production, conversion and recycling facilities as well as during all modes of transport, both on land and at sea. The treaty must reinforce ambitious actions to achieve zero pellet loss globally and is well placed to provide an overarching framework for coordinated international actions at all stages of the pellet supply chain, ensuring consistency, transparency and measurable continuity in practices. It can complement other maritime and terrestrial pellet policy developments."
Find out more
Learn more about the UN Global Plastics Treaty, how it can address global plastic pellet pollution and more on our information hub.