WWF: States must choose new path as UN plastics talks collapse with no clear way forward

• The disappointing end to INC-5.2 with no text adopted as the basis of negotiations nor clear plans for how the treaty can be delivered puts the onus on Member States to justify continuing on the INC pathway and pursuing a treaty through consensus.
• While INC-5.2 provided no clear consensus, an overwhelming majority of Member States from all corners of the world expressed willingness and alignment for an effective treaty to end plastic pollution.
• WWF calls on leaders to take the treaty beyond the INC process where they can remove the shackles of low ambition and finally pave the way for a meaningful treaty.

With no text adopted as the basis of negotiations at the end of INC-5.2, and with no clear plans for how the treaty can be delivered, WWF calls on ambitious states to pursue a different process as the consensus-at-all-costs mindsets within the INC process show no signs of improving. While not confirmed, the Chair stated the fifth session of the INC negotiations will resume at a later date (INC-5.3).

Efraim Gomez, WWFs Global Director of Global Policy Impact said: “After almost two weeks of tense negotiations, we are no closer to agreeing a global treaty to end plastic pollution. While countries held strong and resisted the pressure to agree to a weak, meaningless treaty, it is now up to Member States to explain and demonstrate how continuing forward on the INC pathway can be effective in addressing the urgent global plastic pollution crisis causing harm to people and nature around the world. 

What we have seen and heard through the last 10 days is not enough. While offering a strong vision, it was evident the ambitious majority were unwilling to use the full range of multilateral tools at their disposal to secure the suite of binding global rules that are essential to a meaningful treaty. I sincerely hope that, if the last 10 days have shown us anything, it’s that the steadfast commitment to consensus by Member States will not deliver us the treaty that the world demanded and our leaders promised. 

In this process, business, science, civil society, and other stakeholders played their part in presenting the evidence and making the case for a meaningful treaty. Our determination to end plastic pollution is unshaken. We will continue our work with governments, communities and partners across regions to address plastic pollution across every stage in the lifecycle. But let’s be clear, the responsibility for the outcome rests squarely with Member States. And we will be there every step of the way to help secure the treaty that people and nature need.”

Zaynab Sadan, WWF’s Global Plastics Policy Lead and Head of Delegation at INC-5.2, said: “The failure of states to find agreement in Geneva is bitterly disappointing. This outcome is neither what communities, scientists, businesses and civil society demanded nor what our leaders promised. 

But what we saw in Geneva, was an overwhelming majority of states from all corners of the world expressed willingness and alignment for an effective treaty to end plastic pollution. That provides hope for the future. However, a minority of blockers and the tradition of consensus decision-making leave us with no outcome. This process showed that consensus decision making has outplayed its role in international environmental negotiations. 

Continuing without any radical shift in the process, without giving proper weight to the demands of the majority would be futile. We therefore implore leaders not to let all of the work we have done go to waste and use this opportunity to build a treaty that the majority have been calling for since the beginning. Taking the treaty beyond the INC process is the way forward for finally moving beyond the restraints of the low ambition minority, paving a way for a meaningful treaty. Do not betray those they promised to help.”

ENDS

Notes

INC-5.2 will run from 5-15 August in Geneva, Switzerland. Should you require interviews, below is our list of spokespersons and their focus (those in bold will be available throughout INC-5.2):

• Kirsten Schuijt, Director General, WWF
• Efraim Gomez, Director, Global Policy Impact, WWF
• Zaynab Sadan, INC-5.2 Global Plastics Policy Lead & Head of Delegation, WWF
• Eirik Lindebjerg, Global Plastics Adviser, WWF
• Erin Simon, VP, Plastic Waste & Business, WWF
• John Duncan, No Plastic in Nature Initiative Lead, WWF 
• Florian Titze, Finance Expert, WWF
• Maria Alejandra Gonzalez, Senior Global Policy Advisor and Regional Coordinator, Latin America & Caribbean, WWF