In August this year, governments and stakeholders will gather for the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5.2). As the negotiations advance, governments will need to ensure the treaty reflects human health considerations as well as the challenges of effective implementation.
This event will aim to answer questions about human health as a central issue for the plastics treaty, the range and depth of multisectoral cooperation that will be needed to implement the treaty, and how health sector stakeholders can support implementation of the treaty.
A growing body of evidence demonstrates a wide range of adverse impacts to human health associated with plastics and plastic pollution. Harmful health effects arise across the full life cycle of plastics, including during the production, use and waste phases, and disproportionately impact populations that are economically and politically marginalized.
International recognition of the urgent need to address plastic pollution as a global health and environmental crisis has been steadily growing. Following the adoption in 2022 of the United Nations Environment Assembly’s Resolution 5/14 ‘End plastic pollution: towards an international legally binding instrument’, negotiations have been underway to develop a plastics treaty.
In 2023, the 76th World Health Assembly also adopted a resolution calling on the World Health Organization (WHO) to scale up efforts to address the impact of chemicals, waste, and pollution - including plastics - on human health, with the goal of strengthening the public health response. According to the WHO, the plastic crisis is also a health crisis.
Coordinated international action and cooperation across a range of sectors at international, national, regional, and local levels will be required to achieve effective implementation. The health sector will have a critical role to play.
Agenda
12:20 - 12:30 Mapping health impacts across the plastics life cycle
Activity outside the auditorium
12:30 - 12:35 Welcome remarks
12:35 - 12:45 Setting the stage
12:45 - 13:15 Moderated panel discussion
Speakers to be confirmed
13:20 - 13:35 Interactive activity
13:35 - 13:55 Audience Q&A
13:55 - 14:00 Closing remarks
14:00 - 15:00 Reception
Co-hosted with
