Organized by the Local and Subnational Governments Coalition and hosted at the Global Cities Hub headquarters, this informal Brown Bag Lunch brought together member states, international stakeholders, and representatives of subnational governments based in Geneva. The event aimed at fostering open dialogue on the role of Local and Regional Governments (LRGs) in the ongoing negotiations on the new Plastic Pollution Treaty. The Coalition mobilizes itself in advance of the 2nd part of the final round of negotiations (INC 5.2. 2nd part) scheduled to take place in Geneva next August.
Discussions centered on safeguarding and expanding references to LRGs in the draft text of the treat — particularly in articles related to implementation, finance, reuse systems, and national planning. Participants stressed the need to formally acknowledge LRGs as key actors in the implementation of the treaty, especially given their proximity to citizens and frontline responsibilities in waste management and pollution response.
There was consensus on the strategic importance of the upcoming months, with the Coalition committed to sustained engagement and further advocacy. The Coalition has submitted language on the current Chair’s text (1 December 2024) and will monitor any further iteration of the draft text and submit language to the Chair as appropriate. In addition, the Global Cities Hub will offer space for side events and informal discussions during the negotiations in August.
Key take-away: Broad support was expressed for the inclusion of LRGs in the treaty’s core provisions and for continued mobilization of subnational diplomacy within the process.
Photo by Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash