Center for International Environmental Law Experts Will Be Attending the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) to Prepare for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on a Plastics Treaty
DAKAR, SE / GENEVA, CH, May 25th, 2022 – Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) experts will be following upcoming plastics treaty negotiations at the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) meeting in Dakar, Senegal, from May 30 to June 1. Staff will be available for comment before, during, and after the meeting.
The OEWG is the first formal meeting following the United Nations Environment Assembly’s adoption of a mandate to negotiate an international, legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. During the OEWG, policymakers, civil society representatives, Indigenous Peoples, businesses, and trade unions will meet to prepare the work for the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) that will negotiate the treaty over the next two and a half years.
The OEWG will focus on setting up the process for the negotiation itself. Possible decisions or recommendations include rules of procedures, establishing a bureau, and the organization of work.
CIEL experts will closely follow negotiations, tracking progress to finalize the objective, scope, obligations, and mechanisms supporting the new international instrument. They will pay particularly close attention to ensuring that doors to public participation remain open and that human rights and social and environmental justice remain foundational in treaty negotiations.
CIEL Experts in Dakar:
David Azoulay — CIEL Senior Attorney, Director of Environmental Health program, head of CIEL’s delegation at OEWG. He will focus on the plastic treaty process, public participation, and institutional issues. David will be in Dakar from May 28 to June 1. Follow David on Twitter.
Andrés Del Castillo — CIEL Senior Attorney. Andrés specializes in international negotiations, the legal aspects of the plastics treaty, and right holders’ involvement in multilateral processes. Andrés will be in Dakar from May 28 to June 2. Follow Andrés on Twitter.
Giulia Carlini — CIEL Senior Attorney and IPEN Toxic Plastics Working Group Co-Chair. Giulia specializes in chemicals and waste, the links between plastic and health, and stakeholders’ participation focused on the Women’s Major Group. Giulia will be in Dakar from May 28 to June 2. Follow Giulia on Twitter.
Additional Availability:
Jane Patton — CIEL Plastics & Petrochemicals Campaign Manager. Jane specializes in civil society participation and engagement and the scientific and social basis for global governance on plastics. Jane will be following the OEWG remotely. Follow Jane on Twitter.
Media Contact:
To schedule an interview, please reach out to Cate Bonacini — CIEL Communications Manager, at press(at)ciel.org.
Posted on May 25, 2022