GENEVA, August 15, 2025 — After the Chair for the resumed fifth session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee to advance a plastics treaty (INC-5.2) released a middle-of-the-night text, Center for International Environmental Law Environmental Health Program Director and Head of Delegation, David Azoulay, released the following statement:
The Secretariat and Chair are using a tried-and-true blueprint of introducing an unacceptable text, then returning with a mediocre take-it-or-leave-it treaty that shows marginal improvement, but still falls short of what is needed to address the plastics crisis. The new text dropped in the middle of the night and that is part of the strategy. A quick, 2 am read, could trick you into thinking its got good elements. But despite interesting proposal on decision-making procedures, for example, a closer analysis reveals that on the key elements — control on problematic products and chemicals, control of production, protection of health — it is designed to be almost entirely voluntary and almost impossible to strengthen over time.
We implore Member States: no treaty is better than a bad treaty. And the text that the chair proposed in Busan on December 1st provided better options that could make this future treaty efficient.
Our recommendation is clear, do not fall into the trap by accepting this text as the basis for future negotiation. This INC process is failing — either step up and take steps to change it or let the good-faith countries move forward.
###
Media Contact: Cate Bonacini, [email protected], +1-510-520-9109 (WhatsApp, Signal)