The first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, will take place in Uruguay from 28 November to 2 December 2022.

The Uruguay meeting comes after the parties at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi in March agreed to create an intergovernmental committee to negotiate and finalize a legally binding plastics treaty by 2024.

PhysOrg reported that the decision was seen as the biggest environmental advance since the Paris Agreement to curb global warming was signed in 2015.

UK Government stance

In partnership with the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network (an organisation comprised of industry, scientists and activists), the UK Government is running a series of dialogue meetings, which will be key in strengthening the UK’s leading voice at the treaty negotiations.

At the first meeting, stakeholders including plastic producers and converters, consumer brands, waste managers, environmental groups and investors came together to provide their views on how UK businesses can contribute towards bringing an end to plastic pollution and inform the UK’s negotiating position for a far-reaching treaty.

The international treaty will set obligations on countries to reduce pollution across the whole plastics lifecycle – from production and consumption to disposal and waste management.

The UK has joined the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution as a founding member and is committed to its common ambition for the treaty to end plastic pollution by 2040 through a life-cycle approach, Defra has said.

First step in negotiations

The meeting in Uruguay will last for five days and is only a first step in the negotiations process. Another four global meetings are planned to carry the process forward.

Technical matters, such as how to structure the two years of talks, or even what should be included in the treaty, are up for discussion.

For further information from the UN on the INC see the dedicated website here.