Inside INC-5

IISD supports a treaty that tackles plastics across their entire life cycle—from production to waste management.  

Researchers at IISD Experimental Lakes Area have uncovered troubling evidence of microplastics' pervasive presence in ecosystems. Microplastics are present in water and the fish fillets that we eat and are carried through global wind patterns and water cycles.  

This suggests that even the highest quality downstream policy instruments will be insufficient to contain the full extent of plastic pollution. For the treaty to effectively address the issue at hand, a whole life cycle approach must be addressed with a particular focus on upstream measures. We must start reducing and restricting certain types of plastic production if we truly want to eliminate plastic from our food, water, bodies, and environment.  

Implementation of the treaty will rely on national action. It is therefore important to call for the submission of national action plans that outline each country’s commitments, and to incorporate transparency mechanisms that will require each country to monitor their actions. Clear reporting requirements will require agreed definitions of standards for tracking plastic emissions, such as measuring plastic leakage into the environment and conducting risk assessments. Explicit guidelines for establishing baselines, setting targets, and measuring progress are essential for transparency and accountability. 

Plastic is one of the planet's most traded goods and components. Thus, the treaty should address trade measures appropriate to the disciplines of the convention. 

Such rules could include controls on production, bans on most harmful products, standardized recycling requirements to curb pollution effectively, as well as the alignment of public financial flows, such as subsidies, with the objectives of the treaty. Ensuring that such provisions are functioning effectively will require addressing trade aspects of such measures to ensure that the new rules are not circumvented.  

Aligning treaty measures with WTO principles will ensure fair, non-discriminatory practices that can help foster responsible production and reduce harmful plastic use globally. This approach aims to reduce plastic pollution by 2040 through cohesive and enforceable actions. 

Indigenous Peoples worldwide have a deep, long-standing connection to their lands and waters, and their Traditional Knowledge offers invaluable insights into sustainable stewardship. The treaty must uphold Indigenous rights and integrate Indigenous Knowledge systems. The treaty should also affirm these rights, recognizing the expertise Indigenous communities bring to environmental governance.

Our understanding of the impacts of plastic pollution is still evolving. It is therefore important to ensure the treaty can adapt in response to scientific developments. Ongoing research, such as research on real lakes currently taking place at IISD Experimental Lakes Area, continually sheds light on new pathways and interactions with ecosystems, underscoring the need for science-based adaptability in treaty implementation. Involvement of scientific organizations is essential to keep the treaty effective and responsive over time.