After a strong ultimatum from over 80 countries at INC-5, refusing to accept a global plastic pollution treaty without robust measures like global bans on the most harmful plastics and chemicals, the Chair’s latest draft finally includes such provisions. However, the text still contains many options that need further negotiation, it represents a constructive turning point towards establishing a strong and ambitious global plastic pollution treaty in the final hours of negotiations.
In Article 5, it states “foster research, innovation, development and use of sustainable and safer alternatives and non-plastic substitutes, including products, technologies and services, taking into account environmental, economic, social and human health aspects and their potential for waste reduction and reuse, as well as availability, accessibility and affordability, based on life cycle assessments and best available science, and, where relevant, traditional knowledge, knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.”
