Day1: Diverse Demands and Cooperation Prospects under the Guidance of Rules | CBCGDF INC-5 Delegation Reports

On the morning of November 25, 2024, 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) officially opened at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) in South Korea. As an observer to the INC-5, the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) INC-5 delegation is attending the meeting on site in Busan.

The first day of negotiations at INC-5 showed significant characteristics, among which the discussion of rules of procedure dominated, resulting in a relatively slow progress of substantive content. While supporting the third informal document of the INC-5 Chair, countries also put forward diverse demands and constructive suggestions based on their own positions, demonstrating their active participation and interest considerations in the multilateral negotiation process.

At the procedural level, the discussion of rules of procedure became the core of the opening and took a long time, reflecting the high attention paid by countries to the fairness and stability of the negotiation process. In terms of organizational structure, the election of members of the presidium was successfully completed, the Asia-Pacific Group elected a vice chair, and the Saudi representative was elected to this important position, which established a leadership and coordination mechanism for subsequent negotiations. At the same time, four contact groups were established based on the negotiation tasks and goals, with clear division of labor, covering issues related to the entire life cycle of plastic products, pollution emissions and transformation, funding and capacity building, and treaty framework content, etc., reflecting the common vision of all countries to build a comprehensive and systematic microplastic governance system, and improving the efficiency and depth of negotiations through professional division of labor and cooperation.In the discussion of topics, countries showed diverse demands and in-depth participation.

In general, the first day of negotiations reached a certain consensus on the rules of procedure, laying the foundation for the follow-up, while the multiple demands in the work plan, document improvement and substantive content discussion outlined a complex and challenging roadmap for the subsequent meetings. All parties need to strike a precise balance between safeguarding their own interests and promoting global microplastic governance cooperation within a limited time. Through continuous and in-depth consultations and negotiations, they should strive to build a broad consensus and build a scientific, reasonable, feasible and widely accepted microplastic treaty to address the global microplastic pollution challenge and highlight the key value and practical path of multilateralism in the field of environmental governance.

(This article is compiled from the work records of the delegates of the CBCGDF INC-5 delegation, and is only for information.)

Original Chinese article:https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/mT3YB8rUnq-d--ba0VY5HA

Translator: Daisy

Reviewed by Sara

Editor: Daisy

Contact: v10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776

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