175 countries are currently negotiating a legally-binding, international treaty on plastic pollution that could change the world. It's a big deal. In just a few weeks, the fifth and final round of negotiations are set to conclude at INC-5 (Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee) in Busan, South Korea as delegates from across the globe meet from November 25 to December 1. It’s getting down to the wire, and there’s still uncertainty as to what we’re going to get. The question remains whether this treaty will be strong enough, or if certain countries or companies will derail the progress that could be achieved. Will you join us in calling on world leaders to pass a strong plastic treaty? Some countries and companies say they want an ambitious treaty, but when you actually look into the details, they aren’t pushing for meaningful solutions. Chemical and plastics corporations are actively lobbying for weaker treaty terms. At first, they were opposed to plastic regulations. But that hurt their reputation and their bottom line. So now, they're playing along, making sustainability claims and trying to weaken solutions from the inside. They keep pushing for weaker, flexible treaty terms that focus on waste management instead of reducing plastic at the source. We can’t expect the companies that created the problem to help solve it. And we can’t let this treaty leave room for industry greenwashing and lack of real progress. Earlier this year, the US finally changed its position to one supportive of reducing plastic production, joining dozens of other countries leading the charge for a strong treaty. But now, with a new Administration on the horizon, the stakes just got higher. The treaty text needs to be finalized during this INC; we can’t afford to go into overtime. We’re already seeing delegates and representatives increasingly willing to compromise, settle for vague treaty language, or consider postponements. Tell your leaders: this is not the time to waver! We know the plastics problem is major. We’re up against something bigger than any one individual or organization or legislator or business leader can take on alone. So we’re teaming up with allies and organizations around the world to demand a strong treaty that ambitiously tackles plastic pollution. We’ll be delivering this petition to world leaders and delegates at the start of INC-5. We need governments worldwide to step up to this historic opportunity by listening to the people. World leaders need to get this treaty right. This is going to be a heavy lift and we don't have time to waste. Big Oil and Big Plastic won’t go quietly. But we’re ready to rally, alongside friends from around the globe. Are you? Together, we’re raising our voices as collective citizens of this earth. No matter how you’re tackling the plastics problem, we need you. To: World leaders, delegates and representatives From: [Your Name] As global citizens from around the world, we are calling on you to pass a strong international treaty on plastic pollution. We need a treaty that: Is legally binding and has deadlines to cap and reduce plastic production, accelerating the transition away from single-use plastics and towards reuse and refill. Prioritizes the health, livelihoods and expertise of frontline workers and communities across the plastics' life cycle. Rejects false solutions like waste incineration, chemical “recycling”, waste-to-energy, international dumping and other industry-supported, greenwashing efforts to continue business-as-usual plastic production. Eliminates toxic chemicals in plastic Include provisions that hold polluting corporations and plastic producing countries accountable. Please protect the health of our people and our planet. The citizens of the earth demand it.
Richard Stallman
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