Plastic has very quickly become a big part of our everyday lives. Every year, the world produces about 430 million metric tonnes of plastic. While plastic is a very useful material in many ways, over 90% of the plastic that pollutes our planet is made up of single-use plastics, such as plastic cutlery, and microplastics, such as those added to cosmetic products.

Currently, an estimated 9 - 14 million tons of plastic waste ends up in our oceans every year. Plastic waste has been found in all areas of the globe, from the deepest seas to the most remote mountains. It causes major harm to wildlife and ecosystems, but also disrupts the livelihood of millions of people, as well as posing significant risk to human health and the world economy.

Plastic production also contributes to enormous amounts of greenhouse gasses. The UN Environment Programme estimates that if we continue with business as usual, by 2040 plastic production could account for 19% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions.

Global plastic pollution could triple by 2040 unless we take immediate action. Voluntary measures and country-driven efforts  have proven ineffective in stopping plastic from polluting and poisoning our planet. In fact, it is only getting worse. Over the past five years, the number of national and voluntary actions to tackle the problem have increased by 60%, yet plastic pollution has simultaneously continued to increase by 50%. 

We need a new set of binding and equitable global rules that regulate the production and consumption of high-risk plastic.
  
The unique potential of a global treaty is to hold all countries to a high common standard of action. This will create a level playing field that incentivizes and supports national actions. The power of moving beyond fragmented national plans is demonstrated by other successful environmental agreements. For example, through global bans, the Montreal Protocol has phased out more than 99% of ozone-depleting substances since its establishment, setting the ozone layer on a gradual path to recovery.

An ambitious and equitable global plastic treaty will include effective measures along the full lifecycle of plastics. The treaty must accelerate a just transition and be built on the voices of the communities that are most affected by plastic pollution. 

In short, the treaty must establish common, binding and specific global rules, including:

• Global bans, phaseouts and phasedowns of problematic and avoidable plastic products and uses, and of plastic polymers and chemicals of concern. 
• Global requirements for product design and systems, securing a safe and non-toxic circular economy, prioritizing reuse, improving recycling, and securing the environmentally sound management of plastic waste. 
• Strong implementation support measures, including sufficient financial support and alignment of public and private financial flows for implementation in low income countries.

The decision to start negotiating such a treaty at UNEA 5.2 in March 2022 was a result of years of campaigning  from NGOs, scientists, civil society and businesses, as well as political dedication and will.

Now the treaty text is being negotiated through a series of meetings around the world. The Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC) is the name of the forum where governments meet to negotiate the content of the future treaty, and these meetings are key moments in the negotiation process. All UN member states are welcome to participate, while civil society, right-holder groups and industry are permitted to attend as observers.

The treaty is set to be finalized by the end of 2024, and formally adopted in 2025. After that, there will be annual COPs (Conference of the Parties) similar to the process for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, The Basel Convention on Trade in Hazardous Waste/the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and other international agreements.

Negotiation milestones and meetings:
  

• INC-1 -  Punta del Este, Uruguay 28 November - 2 December 2022
• NC-2 -  Paris, France 29. May - 2. June 2023
• INC-3 - Nairobi, Kenya 13.-19. November 2023
• UNEA 6 - Nairobi, Kenya, 26. February - 1. March 2024
• INC-4 - Ottawa, Canada, 21. -30. April 2024
• INC-5 - Republic of Korea,  29. October - 1. November 2024 [tentative]