In Genf verhandeln derzeit 317 Delegationen, von A wie Afghanistan bis Z wie Zimbabwe, über den Abschluss eines internationalen Abkommens zur Plastikverschmutzung. Auf UN-Speak nennt sich das „5. Tagung des Zwischenstaatlichen Verhandlungskomitees zur Entwicklung eines international rechtsverbindlichen Instruments zur Plastikverschmutzung, einschließlich der Meeresumwelt (INC-5.2)“. So sperrig wie dieser Name laufen offenbar auch die Verhandlungen. Es wird um jedes Wort in der Übereinkunft gefeilscht, manchmal auch in der Absicht, kein Abkommen zustandezubringen. Unsere Redaktion hat entschieden, den Bericht des „Earth Negotiations Bulletins“ vom 12. August zu dokumentieren. Aber nur den Abschnitt über den Smalltalk auf den Fluren des Palais des Nations.
„Mit nur noch zwei vollen Tagen offizieller Verhandlungszeit huschten die Delegierten durch die Flure des Palais des Nations und eilten von einer Gruppe zur anderen, um Fortschritte beim zukünftigen Vertragstext zu erzielen“. So fasst das Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) den Stand der Verhandlungen zusammen. Angesichts des Termindrucks – der „Hauptteil der Arbeit“ sollte bis Mittwoch (13. August) abgeschlossen sein -, habe ein „Gefühl der Panik“ die Verhandlungsräume im Palais des Nations durchdrungen. Die Bangok Post schrieb zum Stand der Verhandlungen: „Plastic pollution treaty talks in disarray„.
Lesen Sie den Originaltext des ENB in Englisch:
Earth Negotiations Bulletin, Daily report for 12 August 2025
2nd Part of the 5th Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, Including in the Marine Environment (INC-5.
In the Corridors
With the “bulk of the work supposed to be completed” by Wednesday, 13 August, a “sense of panic” pervaded the negotiating rooms at the Palais des Nations. “We have a mountain of work left, and very little time to get through it,” said one exasperated delegate, “We need to start making these compromises.” So far, “we have tripled the text, and there is no consensus on the core elements that the treaty should contain. We are just walking in circles, with no end in sight,” chuckled another delegate.
Around the venue, some delegations were perplexed by what they called “mixed messages” touching on these “core elements.” “If you love plastic, then we shouldn’t even bother negotiating a scope that includes production caps!” With discussions on scope and Article 6 still at the “conceptual stage” at this phase of negotiations, some wondered how the impasse on these core, divergent issues would be resolved. One delegate suggested that now might be the time to “manage our expectations,” sharing that “we will all be equally unhappy with the outcome,” and adding “let’s please stop negotiating based on wishful thinking.”
In some rooms, the outcome itself came into question, with a delegate sharing that “without some good faith compromises, we may walk away empty-handed.” Meanwhile, in a briefing with observers, both INC Chair Luis Vayas and INC Executive Secretary Jyoti Mathur-Filipp expressed confidence that it will be “possible to deliver an effective text on Thursday.” This led one observer to comment that he “hoped there was a magic rabbit that will pop out of a hat at the last minute,” stating that “there are many bridges to build before we get to the end.”
At this point, the “only way out is through a package deal addressing the most fundamental parts of the text,” opined one delegate, sharing that “if such a text exists, we have not seen it.” On this concept of a “package deal,” another shared that “unless we get serious on finance, we’ll remain stuck,” noting that the “world has changed and help may not arrive in the ways we are used to,” pointing to deep cuts in development assistance. Others were hesitant to talk about a package at all: “there are so many balls still in the air.”
We need to stick to the message that “there is still hope,” shared one delegate, who also sketched a scenario where the INC could go back to UNEA to seek an extended mandate. “But we can’t risk reopening the sticky discussions on scope, so we prefer to live in hope that we somehow finish here in Geneva.”
As delegations prepared to leave the venue for the night, they were alerted that a compromise text prepared by INC Chair Vayas, based on the current state of negotiations, could very well be available for consideration on Wednesday. Only time will tell if it proves to be the winning ticket.
Foto: Strandgut an der Oberguineaküste Westafrikas. Von Eggi (Diskussion)eggi, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons
Quelle: Earth Negotiations Bulletin, Daily report for 12 August 2025
=> A Guide to the Global Agreement to End Plastic Pollution (IISD)
=> Umweltverschmutzung durch Plastik (Wikipedia)
== Inside INC-5.2 Plastic Treaty Talks (IISD)
