Moment of Truth: Will INC-5 Deliver the Plastics Treaty the World Needs?

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) asserts that a successful global plastics treaty must address the crisis at its source by capping production, as 99 percent of plastics are fossil-fuel derived and production is projected to triple by 2050. CIEL recommends a minimum 70 percent reduction in plastic production by 2050 relative to 2019 levels to align with 1.5°C climate goals. The document warns that current draft texts and the proposed "non-paper" by Chair Luis Vayas may lead to a weak agreement. Essential elements for an effective treaty include binding national targets, bans on hazardous chemicals (of which over 4,200 are known to pose risks), enforceable trade measures, and a financial mechanism such as a fee on primary polymer production. The authors highlight risks from industry lobbying and potential shifts in US policy following the re-election of Donald Trump.

• Plastic production is projected to triple by 2050 and could consume one-third of the remaining global carbon budget, threatening the 1.5°C warming limit.
• CIEL advocates for a global plastic production cap with a minimum reduction of 70 percent by 2050, using 2019 as the baseline, supported by binding national obligations to avoid a non-binding 'Paris-style' outcome.
• The treaty should implement the precautionary principle to ban entire classes of hazardous chemicals, noting that over 4,200 of the 16,000 chemicals used in plastics are known to pose health and environmental risks.
• To ensure efficacy and fairness, the treaty requires enforceable trade rules for both party and non-party countries, a governance structure that allows for qualified majority voting to avoid consensus-based stalls, and a financial mechanism to assist low- and middle-income countries.

APA

Del Castillo, A., & Durland, L. J. (2024). Moment of Truth: Will INC-5 Deliver the Plastics Treaty the World Needs? Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/moment-of-truth-will-inc-5-deliver-the-plastics-treaty-the-world-needs/

Chicago

Del Castillo, Andrés, and Lindsey Jurca Durland. Moment of Truth: Will INC-5 Deliver the Plastics Treaty the World Needs? Center for International Environmental Law, 2024. https://www.ciel.org/moment-of-truth-will-inc-5-deliver-the-plastics-treaty-the-world-needs/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Del Castillo |first1=Andrés |last2=Durland |first2=Lindsey Jurca |title=Moment of Truth: Will INC-5 Deliver the Plastics Treaty the World Needs? |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=20 November 2024 |url=https://www.ciel.org/moment-of-truth-will-inc-5-deliver-the-plastics-treaty-the-world-needs/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{delcastillo2024moment, author = {Del Castillo, Andrés and Durland, Lindsey Jurca}, title = {{Moment of Truth: Will INC-5 Deliver the Plastics Treaty the World Needs?}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {https://www.ciel.org/moment-of-truth-will-inc-5-deliver-the-plastics-treaty-the-world-needs/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }