The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, aimed to finalise a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty but ended without consensus. Due to major divergences around key elements of the future Treaty, the session has been extended to INC-5.2, with the date and location still to be determined.
Key Developments
Negotiations began slowly, hindered by procedural delays and disagreements, particularly around:
- Problematic plastic products and chemicals of concern (Article 3)
- Supply – potential production cap (Article 6)
- Financial mechanisms (Article 11)
To accelerate progress, the Chair introduced informal negotiations mid-week, which improved discussions but limited transparency for observers. Ultimately, the final Plenary in Busan adopted a draft text proposed by the Chair as the basis for INC-5.2, though significant work remains.
A powerful moment occurred during the final Plenary, when Rwanda called for ambition, prompting observers and delegations to stand in solidarity, signaling resistance to pressure from oil-dependent economies advocating lower ambition.
Bioplastics in the Treaty
While “alternatives and non-plastic substitutes,” the category under which bioplastics will fall, were not a primary focus amid high-level political issues, Article 5 on product design provides a key opportunity. The text calls to: “ Foster research, innovation, development and use of sustainable and safer alternatives and non-plastic substitutes, including products, technologies and services, taking into account environmental, economic, social and human health aspects and their potential for waste reduction and reuse, as well as availability, accessibility and affordability, based on life cycle assessments and best available science, and, where relevant, tra