Deputy Minister Swarts to engage stakeholders ahead of INC-5 on the International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, Including in the Marine Environment

18 November 2024

The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts, will host a virtual consultative stakeholder meeting on South Africa’s negotiating position ahead of the 5th Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) on the International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, including in the Marine Environment, on Wednesday, 20 November 2024.

The 5th Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) on the International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution is scheduled to take place in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 24 November – 1 December 2024.

The INC meeting in Korea comes after UNEA-5.2 was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 21 February to 4 March 2022. The meeting made resolutions on 14 matters, including the issue of the management of plastic pollution. At UNEA 5.2, the framework for addressing plastic product pollution, including use, was discussed. UNEA 5.2 resolved the most pressing issue on the scope related to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), renaming the resolution "End plastic pollution: Towards an internationally legally binding instrument" which South Africa has adopted. In the final resolution, UNEA requested the Executive Director to convene an INC meeting, commencing its work during the second half of 2022, with the ambition of completing its work by the end of 2024.

Details of the virtual meeting are as follows:

Date:  Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Time: 10:00 -12:00
Virtual Link: https://rebrand.ly/lpmtc3h

To RSVP, please contact:

Michael Mokoena
Mobile: 082 906 5795 
E-mail: mmokoena@dffe.gov.za 

Banele Mabena
Mobile: 066 420 0144
E-mail: smabena@dffe.gov.za 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Peter Mbelengwa
Mobile: 082 611 8197
E-mail: pmbelengwa@dffe.gov.za