The first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on pollution, including in the marine environment, has opened in Uruguay. The United Nations Environment Assembly passed a resolution on ending plastic pollution in March, specifying that the work should be completed by the end of 2024. Momentum was boosted in July when the US and the European Commission joined the UN’s Clean Seas Campaign, which engages with governments and the private sector to undertake concerted action to end plastic pollution. According to the UN Environment Programme, the instrument will “reflect diverse alternatives to address the full lifecycle of plastics, the design of reusable and recyclable products and materials, and the need for enhanced international collaboration to facilitate access to technology, capacity building and scientific and technical cooperation”.
At #UNEA5, nations endorsed a historic resolution to #BeatPlasticPollution & establish an international legally binding agreement by 2024.
This week #PlasticsINC negotiations kick off in Uruguay.https://t.co/PUTorEGqiE pic.twitter.com/K68dYpQepu
— UN Environment Programme (@UNEP) November 28, 2022
