INC Members also agreed on intersessional activities, including expert meetings to facilitate consensus on critical issues. Additionally, they decided to establish an Open-ended Legal Drafting Group to convene at INC-5. This group will provide advisory support by reviewing elements of the draft text to ensure its legal robustness.

“We convened in Ottawa with the objective of advancing the treaty text and agreeing on necessary intersessional work to make substantial progress ahead of INC-5. I am pleased that we have achieved both objectives, setting a clear path towards reaching an ambitious agreement in Busan later this year,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). “However, our work is far from over. The global plastic pollution crisis persists, and we have limited time to meet the year-end deadline agreed upon in 2022. I urge all members to maintain their commitment and flexibility to achieve the highest level of ambition.”

INC-4 follows previous sessions in Punta del Este in November 2022 (INC-1), Paris in May/June 2023 (INC-2), and Nairobi in November 2023 (INC-3). INC-5, slated to be the concluding session of the INC process, is scheduled for November 2024 in Busan, Republic of Korea.

“Canada is fully committed to finalizing an agreement at INC-5 in the Republic of Korea by year's end. Our focus has shifted from whether we can achieve this goal to how we will do it. Together, we can achieve one of the most significant environmental milestones since the Paris Agreement and the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” stated Steven Guilbeault, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “We are actively working to elevate the international profile of the plastic pollution crisis so that this agreement receives the global attention it deserves as we approach the finish line.”

Chair of the INC, Ambassador Luis Vayas, remarked, “During these intensive seven days of deliberation, delegates have made substantial progress in refining the draft text of the instrument, streamlining language and engaging in textual negotiations on multiple elements. Yet, we also recognize the significant work that lies ahead to fulfill the commitment made through UNEA Resolution 5/14.”

“We share a strong commitment to delivering an international legally binding instrument to tackle plastic pollution. This spirit of multilateralism has guided our discussions here in Ottawa, where we have found common ground and are united in advancing towards Busan to fulfill our mandate,” Ambassador Vayas added. He thanked the Government of Canada for hosting the session and expressed gratitude to Committee Members, Observers, co-facilitators, support staff, and the INC Secretariat for their contributions.

Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary of the INC Secretariat, emphasized, “With an ambitious timeline of just 18 months and four sessions, we are now firmly on the road to Busan. At this advanced stage of negotiations, compromise and commitment remain strong. Members must arrive in Busan prepared to fulfill their mandate and finalize the instrument's text. This process represents more than procedural steps; it embodies our collective commitment to safeguarding future generations from the global menace of plastic pollution.”