INC-5 Day 4: November 28, 2024
Countries Converge around Plastic Reduction, Finance
Today, Panama (whose powerful intervention at plenary yesterday elicited cheers throughout the conference hall) introduced an ambitious cross-regional text submission on behalf of 91 countries across continents, including many countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the European Union, the United Kingdom Australia and New Zealand. The number of countries supporting the proposal soon swelled to 102.
The text reads:
1. The Conference of the Parties shall, at its first session, adopt in an annex a global target to reduce the production of primary plastic polymers to sustainable levels.
2. Each Party shall take measures across the full lifecycle of plastics to achieve the global target referred to in paragraph 1.
3. Each Party shall report statistical data on its production, imports and exports of primary plastic polymers and the measures taken to achieve the global target referred to in paragraph 1.
4. The Conference of the Parties shall, at its first session, adopt the format, timing, methodologies and guidance for the implementation of this Article.
5. The Conference of the Parties shall, every five years, based on a scientific and economic assessment by a subsidiary body, review progress in the implementation of this Article and, as appropriate, update the global target referred to in paragraph 1.
There is also increasing momentum around the proposal on financial mechanisms proposed by the African Group of Negotiators and GRULAC, with 126 countries in support. (see yesterday’s recap for details).
Consensus Kills Democracy
A tiny but vocal group of mainly petro-states have been systematically working to tank the negotiations at every turn. Unfortunately, the fact that the majority of Member States support plastic production cuts will not on its own break the blockade. These countries must stand together to break the spell of “consensus”-based decisionmaking, where a few bad actors can dig in their heels until the treaty is rendered meaningless. Provisions for voting are an essential bargaining chip that can serve to bring the more obstructive parties to the negotiating table.
The standard for voting provisions has been set in many other successful international negotiations like the Minamata Convention on mercury, and the Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.
Contact:
Claire Arkin, Global Communications Lead
claire@no-burn.org | +1 973 444 4869
References:
- Preliminary schedule for November 29
- GAIA Press Kit
- GAIA INC-5 Booklet (policy briefings and recommendations)
- GAIA Asia Pacific Newsroom
- GAIA Africa Recap
For more information about GAIA’s treaty advocacy, please visit no-burn.org/unea-plastics-treaty, follow us on LinkedIn, and read our Press kit.