Engineers Australia is an accredited Observer of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This means EA can attend UN conferences like Conference of the Parties (COP), meetings and contribute to UN policy submissions, etc.
At present, UNEA has raised the issue of plastic pollution. They are proposing to develop a global, legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. It is called resolution 5/14 “End plastic pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument” and is due to be delivered to UNEA by the end of 2023.
How it manifests is that UNEA requests the Executive Director of the UNEP to convene an Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC) to begin developing a policy instrument. Organisations with Observer status can both attend and contribute to the development of this policy instrument.
Two INC meetings have occurred already and the third (INC-3) is scheduled to take place from 13-19th November 2023, at the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. Consultations and preparatory meetings will take place on 11th and 12th November at the same venue.
In the leadup to the consultations and INC-3 event, EA has an opportunity to provide comment on the Zero Draft of the legally binding instrument. This is attached for reference. Importantly the Zero Draft outlines several implications relevant to the engineering sector.
Your feedback on the attached Zero Draft legally binding instrument is sought.
Please review the Zero Draft document (click here to download) and provide comments to Simon Koger, Senior Policy Advisor – Climate Change at EA via email SKoger@engineersaustralia.org.au by September 30th, 2023. Comments will be collated and included in the Australian Delegation for INC-3. It would be appreciated if you also copied info@amcouncil.com.au into any comments provided to EA please.