2 December 2024 - Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea H.E. Theresa Dizon-De Vega was honored to form part of the Philippine delegation participating in the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment held from 25 November to 1 December 2024 in Busan, South Korea. 

Undersecretary for Planning, Policy, and International Affairs Jonas R. Leones of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was head of the Philippine delegation. The Philippines is the only Southeast Asian nation to include a senior official from the Department of Health (represented by Undersecretary Ann Palermo-Maestral) in its delegation, leading the charge for sustainable healthcare in the region. 

The INC-5 was convened for states to agree upon an internationally binding agreement to reduce plastic pollution. It was estimated that 3,500 people attended, including government officials from 170 United Nations member states, 31 international organizations, industry, civic groups, and academia.

During negotiations, the Philippines called for the need to build a pathway towards the global reduction in plastic production at sustainable levels, the need for binding rules on products, chemicals, and design that ensure a globally coordinated approach, and strong international cooperation tied to the means of implementation to close the gaps in financing, technical, technological, and other capacities in developing countries—particularly archipelagic states and other geographically disadvantaged states, among others.

The Philippines also supported a standalone Article on Health, cognizant that a plastic pollution crisis is also a health crisis, and stood in solidarity with the 95 other delegations that call for a strong plastics treaty.

As host, the Republic of Korea enjoined all members to “end plastic pollution before plastic pollution ends us.” The Republic of Korea also highlighted the country’s efforts to tackle plastic waste, such as introducing the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system 20 years ago to reduce waste and increase recycling rates and strengthening the system through the Act on Promotion of Transition to Circular Economy and Society in 2024, while pledging to share these experiences with the global community. ROK Foreign Minister Cho Tae-Yul and Minister of Environment Kim Wansup served as ROK co-chairs of the event. They were joined by around plus 140 officials from the ROK ministries of foreign affairs, environment, trade, industry and energy, and oceans and fisheries.

The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC5) for a Global Plastics Treaty concluded in Busan on 2 December 2024, with plans for a final negotiation meeting. END