INC-5: Civil society groups call for transparency amid conflict of interest concerns
04 Jul 2024 --- One hundred and thirty-three civil society organizations have signed a letter to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) leadership calling for greater transparency and observer participation in the upcoming ad-hoc inter-sessional working groups for a Global Plastic Treaty. These groups were set up to aid progress ahead of the final round of negotiations (INC-5) in November.
The organizations, which include Basel Action Network, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Friends of the Earth and Zero Waste France, are voicing concerns that government representatives — who are currently the only participants invited to the working groups — will not give a fair account of the needs and ideas required for an effective treaty.
The working groups will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, in August. The sessions were organized after slow progress at previous INCs, which many critics said were slowed down due to interference by petrochemical industry lobbyists. To speed up progress before INC-5, member states will hold two working groups. Each state can nominate 12 experts to attend each group.
“Limiting meetings exclusively to representatives from government agencies without allowing participation from civil society hinders the exchange of ideas and perspectives, which is detrimental to all parties involved,” says Penchom Saetang, director of Ecological Alert and Recovery-Thailand (EARTH-Thailand).
“The Global Plastic Treaty is an issue that extensively concerns people worldwide and for the public benefit. Therefore, restricting the involvement of civil society in this matter does not lead to positive outcomes and reflects narrow-minded thinking by the Secretariat.”
Conflicts of interest?
The letter, addressed to the INC Secretary, Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, the INC Chair, ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso, and the members of the UNEO Bureau, raises concerns about the selection of the technical experts.
Signitatories are concerned that proper representation will not be given by member states.The groups say they must be “unequivocally free from conflicts of interest.” Additionally, the letter calls for an open application process, allowing accredited observer organizations to register at least one representative.
“Observer participation offers an essential opportunity to civil society and rights holders,” reads the letter.
“[This includes] impacted fenceline communities, Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, representatives of grassroots communities and stakeholders like scientists, consumers, faith groups, health and environmental experts, and policy experts to share their expertise and experience and present practical, equitable and well-founded solutions based on their firsthand experiences and expertise which should feed into a strong treaty.”
Issues of concern
Cecilia Bianco of the Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Reduction of Plastic Production with Globally Binding Targets remarks: “We are very concerned that due to the measures taken by the Secretariat, a large number of observers will be left out of the inter-sessional meetings where fundamental issues such as financing, plastic products and chemical substances of concern will be discussed.”
“There is a possibility of an imbalance in the representation of civil society, in the knowledge that is contributed by the communities most impacted at each stage of the life cycle of plastics. Also, the Secretariat has not made known the criteria for deciding the selection of experts, and these criteria should include a policy that prevents and avoids conflict of interest.”
Dharmesh Shah, senior consulting campaigner at CIEL / Turtle Island, says: “Observers play an essential role in negotiations — they provide lived experience, scientific and legal expertise, and critical technical knowledge.”
“An opaque nomination process with only 12 experts per working group betrays the purported inclusive nature of these negotiations and gives cover to polluters who do not need to disclose their affiliation.”
The INC-5 will be held in Busan, South Korea, from November 25 to December 1, 2024.
By Louis Gore-Langton
