Story 04 Aug, 2025

Coming together for biodiversity, human health, and international cooperation at INC5.2

Plastic pollution, biodiversity loss, and human health are interconnected issues that require coordinated responses across multiple international environmental agreements, including the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions and the future Plastics Treaty, but have also to be aligned with the CBD COP16 decisions and with the Global Biodiversity Framework. The second part of the fifth session (INC5.2) is scheduled for August 5-14, 2025, where negotiations will focus on finalising a draft treaty based on the Chair’s Text issued on 1 December 2024 at INC 5.1.

Photo: Tim Mossholder/Unsplash

Considering these interconnections, IUCN and its World Commission on Environmental Law are hoping that negotiators will strengthen international cooperation provisions and biodiversity considerations in the upcoming global plastics treaty negotiations. The INC 5.2 session is scheduled for August 5-14, 2025, where negotiations will focus on finalizing a draft treaty based on the Chair’s Text issued on 1 December 2024 at INC 5.1.

Following the content and wording of the UNEA Resolution 5/14 addressing the full lifecycle of plastic pollution, the latest BRS Conference of the Parties (COP) 2025 decisions, and considering the outcomes of the Biodiversity COP 16 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 16) decisions (e.g. on “Biodiversity and Health” or on “Strengthening the role of indigenous peoples and local communities”), IUCN’s latest brief, calls for precise language in Article 12 of the Chair’s Text on "International Cooperation and Coordination" and in Article 19 on "Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Human Health".

IUCN's proposed Article 12 language would empower the plastics treaty's governing bodies to collaborate with other multilateral environmental agreement secretariats, international instruments, international and regional organizations, and stakeholders from the treaty's inception, following precedents set by existing conventions. This would ultimately also facilitate access to technology transfer and capacity building in a coherent manner.

The inclusion of specific language on biodiversity and ecosystems in Article 19 on “Health” aims to address a OneHealth approach and to advance collaborative work for the implementation of the future Treaty that is coherent with international treaties and obligations such as the BRS Conventions and the Global Chemicals Framework, but is also aligned with the CBD COP16 decisions (e.g. on “Biodiversity and Health” or on “Strengthening the role of indigenous peoples and local communities”) and with the Global Biodiversity Framework, in particular its Target 7. It also would promote ecosystem approaches, helping National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) under the CBD and future National Plastic Action Plans under the Plastics Treaty to be implemented in an effective manner. The overall objective of such language in Article 19 would be, in combination with Article 12, to promote circular economy solutions and chemical regulations that are nature-based and nature positive and thus are toxic-free and safe for ecosystems and human health. And such treaty language would ultimately assure indigenous peoples’ rights and local communities', informal sector, businesses and science involvement, which are necessary for a circular economy in harmony with nature and people.

Read the policy brief here.

Besides helping get a consensus, IUCN’s objectives for INC-5.2 are three-fold:

Strategically influence the negotiations towards the inclusion of biodiversity-specific language and terms, in combination with specific language on “International Cooperation” in the future treaty, by providing legal text-based input.
Position and secure IUCN’s role as key player in the nature-positive implementation of the Treaty (methodologies, criteria, data, support for National Action Plans, capacity building, monitoring), once adopted (e.g. through a Plastics Treaty Explanatory Guide).
Increase IUCN’s influence, visibility and impact whilst promoting and advancing IUCN’s policy[1] and projects (AFRIPAC, EPPIC, IslandPlas, Pacific, Caribbean, and IUCN's plastics work globally) as well as its Programme – Nature 2030 and be prepared for the relevant discussions on plastic pollution at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi.

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