More than 100 countries, including the UK, supported text introduced by Panama calling for plastic production to be reduced to 'sustainable levels'. Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, the lead negotiator for Panama, was one of the stand-out figures of the week. Rarely seen without his trademark hat, he brought a unique energy and enthusiasm to the negotiations. This worked to galvanise other delegations and amplified the voices of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Hats seemed to be the style choice of the week. Another delegate, Camila Zepeda, of Mexico, launched a Declaration on Plastic Products and Chemicals of Concern on behalf of 94 countries in a stylish purple bucket hat. Delegates from the Centre for International Environmental Law also sported a very snazzy baseball cap punningly calling for a ‘cap’ on supply!

Keeping the door open for waste pickers’ input

Despite the power of the hat, many NGOs and rights-holder groups, such as waste pickers, were left frustrated. ‘Closed door’ negotiations in the second half of the week shut observers out of the talks for several days. Earlier in the week, poor planning also left many groups struggling to access even the ‘open door’ negotiations.

Even in the face of these challenges, our team had a real impact at the negotiations, working directly with delegations and allies to influence the direction of the treaty. We were pleased to have the opportunity, once again, to work with the delegation from the International Alliance of Waste Pickers (IAWP), supporting and amplifying their voices in the talks. We joined them to analyse each new version of the treaty text and to plan their responses and recommendations.

The 20 million waste pickers worldwide play a vital role in tackling the problem of plastic waste. The voice of waste pickers must be heard in these negotiations if the treaty is to bring about the fair, equitable and inclusive transition they need.

As it stands at the end of INC-5, the draft treaty text includes crucial wording requiring countries to promote and facilitate a just transition (moving to a sustainable economy in a way that is as fair and inclusive as possible for everyone concerned) and to take into account and engage with waste pickers. Meanwhile, on waste management, we were very pleased that the key elements we have been lobbying for – such as preventing open dumping and burning – also remain in the text, despite attempts to remove them.

Hope in the face of disappointment

Late on Sunday night (or rather, early on Monday morning), delegates agreed to suspend the session and reconvene in 2025. The draft text remains riddled with brackets and, at the insistence of a small number of countries, the Chair was forced to admit that everything is still up for negotiation.

But as the week’s talks came to an end, the stand-out moment of the final session was one of incredible hope and unity. Delegates and observers alike responded en masse to Juliet Kabera of Rwanda’s call, on behalf of 85 countries, to ‘stand up for ambition’. For more than a minute, the vast majority of delegates stood, cheered and applauded in what one observer described as 'a powerful and emotional expression of the will of the majority’.

Later, Camila Zepeda of Mexico read a Declaration on Plastic Products and Chemicals of Concern on behalf of 94 countries. It stated that the text must contain a clear, legally binding obligation to phase out the most harmful plastic products and chemicals of concern in plastics. This was again met by cheers and applause. It is hoped that this energy and determination will carry through to INC 5.2 (date and venue to be confirmed).

An ambitious plastics treaty is still possible

Opinions are divided on whether INC-5 can be classed as a success. By the end of December, four major multilateral talks had ended in relative failure in the space of just two months. This has led some to question whether the UN system is fit for purpose. But there is much wisdom in former Irish President Mary Robinson’s comment that ‘the UN system is the worst system except for all the others.’

The decision to continue negotiations means a strong, ambitious, legally binding treaty that secures justice for the world’s poorest communities is still possible and we are continuing to fight for that!

Please continue to pray that we can influence the negotiations, in partnership with the IAWP and others, to secure the result that’s needed to bring about an end to plastic pollution and its devastating impacts on people living in poverty. Thank you.