Britain helps make progress towards new legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution

The fourth negotiating session held this week saw progress towards reaching agreement on a global treaty to end plastic pollution by the end of this year.

At the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Commission (INC-4), held in Canada, more than 2,500 delegates representing 170 member states met to exchange views on the ambitious treaty that demands urgent action on plastics.

Britain strongly supports an ambitious treaty covering the full life cycle of plastics, from production and consumption to waste management.

Britain played a key role in securing the following results:

• Environment Secretary Rebecca Pow announced that Britain will commit to efforts to make progress on problematic and avoidable plastic products and these plans are included in the draft treaty text.
• A work program will be drawn up ahead of the fifth meeting, giving expert groups the opportunity to meet and contribute to the draft of the treaty.
• The draft text of the treaty was analyzed to verify and streamline efficiency in support of the next round of negotiations at INC-5.
• The INC agreed to establish a legal drafting group, which will ensure legal clarity in the text of the future agreement.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

As a member of the High Ambition Coalition, Britain has continued to push for an ambitious treaty covering the full life cycle of plastics.

Substantial differences remain between the parties on the level of ambition for the Treaty, which has meant that progress in some key areas has been slower than we had hoped.

Nevertheless, Britain has managed to include its proposal on problematic and avoidable plastics in the draft treaty text, and we are pleased that countries have agreed to further develop these plans in the coming months.

There is still much work to be done to reach an agreement at the final negotiations in November, and Britain is committed to the best outcome for our oceans, communities and wildlife.

Britain, along with 64 other members of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC), recently signed the joint ministerial declaration calling for the inclusion of a series of mandatory provisions in the upcoming treaty. The HAC has called for a treaty that covers the full life cycle of plastic.

The final INC meeting will take place in South Korea at the end of this year, the fifth negotiating session among the member states of the United Nations.