Plastic Pollution INC-5.3

The third part of the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5.3), will take place in Geneva, Switzerland.

This meeting is being held pursuant to the resolution adopted by the resumed fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), which requests the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director to convene an INC to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. The INC began its work in the second half of 2022 and had aimed to complete its work by the end of 2024.

INC-5 delegates were unable to reach agreement on a new treaty by the end of the session, as planned. According to the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary report of the meeting, delegates agreed to suspend the session and reconvene in 2025 and to base future discussion on a Chair’s text of 1 December 2024.

Following the former INC Chair’s resignation, the INC Bureau decided to hold a one-day INC session on 7 February 2026 for organizational and administrative purposes. The resumed meeting will focus on election of officers and no substantive negotiations will be held.

Regional consultations will also take place on 7 February.

👉 Go to event's page: https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution/session-5.3