STATEMENT: New Plastics Treaty Chief Means Negotiators ‘Can Get Back to Work’

WASHINGTON – On February 7, UN member states elected Julio Cordano of Chile as the next Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution chair, replacing Luis Vayas Valdivieso of Ecuador. His first order of business will be resuming the plastic treaty negotiations, which came to a halt last year. Nicholas Mallos, vice president of Ocean Conservancy’s Ending Ocean Plastics program and a twenty-year veteran of the issue, released the following statement in response:

“We are encouraged by the election of the newest UN plastics treaty chair, an essential step toward reviving the stalled international plastic treaty negotiations. Now, we can get back to work on delivering an ambitious agreement that addresses plastic pollution in all its forms–from its fossil fuel origins to marine litter.  

“A strong plastics treaty must include meaningful reductions in plastic production, especially of single-use plastics; efforts to address abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear – known as ghost gear – that traps and kills wildlife; and a robust funding mechanism to ensure the treaty can be carried out, especially supporting the countries most impacted by plastic pollution.” 

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