By Checky Abuje
The third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-3), concluded today in Nairobi, Kenya, with progress remarkable progress towards the goal of eliminating plastics from the environment. The focus now shifts to the fourth session in Canada.
More than 1,900 delegates participated in INC-3, representing 161 members, including the European Union and more than 318 observer organizations across United Nations entities, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations.
Areas of focus during the week-long meeting at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi included the chair’s draft zero which reviewed a compilation of texts to include all members’ views, prepared a merged text validated by the co-facilitator and found a way forward on issues not yet addressed.
“I am encouraged by the progress in negotiations towards a treaty to end plastic pollution. I thank the President, Ambassador Meza-Cuadra, and the members of the CNI for their determination to cross the finish line and put us on the right path towards a world where plastic pollution is a problem of the past,” he said. said Inger Andersen, executive director. of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Infer highlighted the need for innovative, inclusive and bold approaches to ending plastic pollution, and urged Member States, non-governmental organizations and other actors to use these negotiations to perfect a sharp and effective instrument that we can use to shape a better future. free from plastic pollution.
The outgoing INC President, HE Gustavo Adolfo Meza-Cuadra Velasquez, thanked the Government of Kenya and the UN in Nairobi for hosting the session, as well as Member States, observers, co-facilitators and support staff discussions. .
“The last 10 days have been a significant step forward in achieving our goal of developing a legally binding international instrument to end plastic pollution. But it also reminded us that much remains to be done, both to narrow our differences and to develop the technical work to inform our negotiations,” he said.
Quoting Nelson Mandela, he added: “I invite you all to reflect as we engage in the next INCs: Sometimes it falls to a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness flourish.
“I urge us all to listen to the scientific community and the diversity of stakeholders who can and do bring evidence, experience and knowledge to these negotiations. Their work evolves and develops every day,” said the new president of the CNI, Ambassador Luis Vayas.
The process of developing a binding international instrument including marine pollution is halfway and calls on members and all stakeholders for the success of the INC process, the provision of the instrument and its implementation to put an end to plastic pollution, protecting human health and the environment.
“I am pleased to see that Nairobi’s spirit of collaboration, compromise and engagement was in full force during our session in the city that gave birth to the INC process. We saw this during our preparatory meeting on 11 November, which paved the way for the positive momentum we have achieved in this session, as well as the constructive and cooperative manner in which you have all engaged throughout throughout this week,” said Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary. of the INC Secretariat.
“Let us continue the Nairobi spirit of collaboration, compromise and engagement in our next sessions, as we continue our journey towards a strong, ambitious and inclusive instrument to tackle plastic pollution,” she added .
