Kathmandu: Ambassador Julio Cordano of Chile was elected as the new Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) tasked with developing an international legally binding instrument to tackle plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, during the third part of the fifth session (INC-5.3) held at the Geneva International Convention Centre.
In accepting the role, Ambassador Cordano emphasized the urgent need for a treaty to address plastic pollution, calling it a planetary problem affecting every country and community. Following his election, Mr. Linroy Christian of Antigua and Barbuda was elected as Vice-Chair. The session focused solely on organizational matters, with no substantive negotiations conducted.
The Committee also expressed appreciation to outgoing Vice-Chair Ambassador Johanna Lissinger-Peitz of Sweden for her contributions over the past months. Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary of the INC Secretariat, congratulated Ambassador Cordano and pledged support as the Committee advances its mandate.
The INC process began in March 2022 at the resumed UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), following a historic resolution to create a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution. INC-5.3 builds on previous sessions held in Uruguay, France, Kenya, Canada, South Korea, and earlier in Geneva, continuing global efforts to finalize an international agreement to combat plastic pollution.
