Invitation: UNEA-5.2 HIGH LEVEL DIALOGUE ON A GLOBAL INSTRUMENT ON PLASTIC POLLUTION

You are cordially invited to the 'UNEA-5.2 High Level Dialogue on a Global Instrument on Plastic Pollution' of the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues, addressing the plastic crisis and supporting coordinated approaches leading to more efficient decision making.

As plastic is a global issue, international cooperation is needed to coordinate actions to have an efficient decision making to tackle this major environmental problem. Solidarity and the involvement of all stakeholders must be guiding principles, as highlighted in the Ministerial Statement issued at the Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution, convened by Germany, Ecuador, Ghana and Vietnam, in Geneva, on 1-2 September 2021.

Urgent action is needed at all levels, including setting common objectives, developing concrete targets andaction plans, taking strong measures, and strengthening regional and global cooperation and decisionmaking,based on the latest available science. Many governments, businesses, civil society organizations, local authorities and academic institutions have thus been calling for the establishment of a global legally binding instrument to address the risks posed by plastic throughout its lifecycle.

At the end of the Ministerial Conference of September, Peru and Rwanda presented a first draft of a resolution to pave the way for an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. This draft was intended to serve as the formal basis for the start of negotiations on a global agreement at the 5th UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) in February and March 2022. At the end of 2021, Japan also proposed a resolution for an International legally binding instrument on marine plastic pollution. Both resolutions call for a quick negotiation in the lead-up to UNEA-6 to address this major crisis.

With only a few weeks left before this major event in the global agenda of environmental governance, this dialogue will offer an overview of the preparations for the negotiations on this important matter. It will also be the occasion to reflect on the outcomes of the previous sessions of the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution Dialogues.

More information: tiny.cc/GEN1Feb22 

REGISTRATION: The event will take place online. Kindly register on the Webex platform: tiny.cc/GEN1Feb22Reg