Representatives from 174 countries are set to gather in Ottawa, Canada, for the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) on plastic pollution.
This meeting, scheduled from April 23 to 29, marks a crucial step in the negotiation process, with only one more session remaining before finalizing negotiations later this year.
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, the Executive Secretary of the INC, stressed the significant challenges that both humanity and the environment are facing due to plastic pollution.
She highlighted the crucial importance of the negotiating session, stating that it presents an opportunity to make substantial progress towards a robust agreement that would help future generations live in a world free of plastic pollution.
The ongoing negotiations are taking place amidst what experts have described as a growing plastic crisis. With the world having generated 9.2 billion tonnes of plastic since the 1950s, and 7 billion tonnes of that ending up as waste, overflowing landfills and contaminated bodies of water, soil, and oceans are becoming increasingly common.
It is reported that humanity now produces 430 million tonnes of plastic annually, with two-thirds of it consisting of short-lived products that quickly turn into waste. Some of this plastic enters the food chain, posing potential risks to human health.
The objective of INC-4 is to advance a preliminary version of the global agreement for finalization in Busan, the Republic of Korea, in December. The discussions in the current session are focused on mitigating pollution throughout the entire lifespan of plastics, from production to disposal.
The negotiation process officially began in 2022 at the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, marking a significant milestone in global environmental governance. Following two years of deliberation, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee has reported transitioning from broad perspectives to a refined draft text.
This year’s World Environment Day, commemorating its fiftieth anniversary, is dedicated to addressing the crisis of plastic pollution. The Head of the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) Life Cycle Initiative, Llorenç Milà i Canals, emphasized the significant impacts of a material deeply integrated into daily lives, affecting wildlife, climate, and human health.
Plastic production is highlighted as one of the most energy-intensive manufacturing processes globally, with plastics deriving from fossil fuels like crude oil. In 2019, plastics contributed 1.8 billion metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, amounting to 3.4% of the global total.
As the negotiations progress in Ottawa, it is evident that urgent action is required to address the plastic pollution crisis and its wide-ranging impacts on the environment and human health. The outcome of these negotiations will play a crucial role in shaping a sustainable future for generations to come.
