In preparation for the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, Including in the Marine Environment (INC-3), taking place from November 13-19, 2023, in Nairobi, Kenya, the INC Secretariat facilitated a series of technical webinars. Two of these sessions allowed observers to present submissions that could inform the committee's work.

The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) submitted two contributions on behalf of the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC). Ronald Steenblik, Senior Technical Advisor for QUNO's Sustainable and Just Economic Systems (SJES) program, presented these submissions on August 29. The recording can be viewed [here - at 1:27:30].

The first submission emphasizes the significance of re-use and circular economic systems and underscored the necessity for innovative delivery systems to mitigate plastic pollution.

In collaboration with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the second submission focuses on the issue of subsidies promoting plastic production. Key areas covered are:

 - Defining the scope of commitments, specifically which production stages should be included.

 - Recommending alignment with the World Trade Organization’s definition of a subsidy.

 - Discussing methods for managing non-specific subsidies, like those supporting energy use across various sectors.

 - Urging the prohibition of all future subsidies that would incentivize plastic production.

Both submissions aim to offer comprehensive and actionable guidance for INC-3's agenda, with the objective of establishing an effective international legal framework to combat plastic pollution.