Eirik Lindebjerg, head of global plastics policy at WWF /HANDOUT

A non-governmental organization has called for a strong and ambitious plastics treaty.

Eirik Lindebjerg, head of global plastics policy at the World Wide Fund for Nature, said the treaty must not compromise on establishing global, binding rules throughout the life cycle of plastics.

“After days of complaints about excruciatingly slow and unproductive discussions in contact groups, the presidency is responding to the frustration demonstrated during yesterday’s plenary session in which many negotiators made impassioned appeals…” a- he declared.

“The challenge is to ensure that we leave Busan with a strong treaty that does not compromise the establishment of global and binding rules throughout the life cycle of plastics.”

Lindebjerg said that in less than 24 hours to ensure all core measures are included, negotiators should use contact groups to push through strong, ambitious, science-backed measures to end plastic pollution .

“The majority of countries know what this is about and they have already declared their support for such measures – what we want from them now is the courage to carry out their ambitions,” he said. he declared.

The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5), opened on November 25 in Busan, Korea.

The session aims to conclude negotiations and finalize the text of the agreement.

The session, which will end on December 1, aims to finalize and approve the text of the instrument. INC-5 follows four previous rounds of negotiations: INC-1, which took place in Punta del Este in November 2022, INC-2, which was held in Paris in June of last year, INC-3, which took place in Nairobi last November. year and INC-4, held in Ottawa in April.

“Not a single person on this planet wants to see plastic in their community or washing up on their shores. Not a single person wants chemical plastic particles in their blood, organs or unborn baby,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program.

“We are living in a historic moment to end the global plastic pollution crisis and protect our environment, our health and our future. Our job in Busan this week is clear: agree to a treaty that puts us on the path to a future free of plastic pollution once and for all.

CNI-5 was preceded by a series of ministerial meetings, regional consultations and a conversation with observers. More than 3,800 participants registered to attend INC-5 – the highest number of the five meetings – representing more than 170 countries and more than 600 observer organizations.

WWF has called on governments to conclude a treaty with four binding global measures essential for the entire life cycle of plastic. It calls for a global ban and phase-out of the most harmful and problematic plastic products to ensure that all plastic produced can be safely reused and recycled.