Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — Indonesia and Norway have brought together delegates from 11 countries to strengthen international cooperation on ending plastic pollution, including in marine environments, through a legally binding global agreement.
The Jakarta Informal Consultation Meeting on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution was held on October 13–15, 2026, by Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH) and Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment.
The meeting aimed to deepen mutual understanding, exchange perspectives and identify common ground in negotiations for an international instrument addressing plastic pollution across the full life cycle of plastics, from product design and production to consumption, waste management and the prevention of environmental leakage.
Agus Rusly, director of waste reduction and circular economy development at KLH/BPLH, said plastic pollution required integrated solutions tailored to national circumstances.
Indonesia supports an effective and implementable international instrument that respects national sovereignty, balances the right to a healthy environment with the right to development, and recognises national plans as the primary basis for implementation, he said. Global efforts must also account for differences in countries’ conditions and capacities.
The urgency of action is reflected in Indonesia’s domestic waste data. Plastic accounted for 11% of the country’s total waste in 2010, rising to nearly 20% in 2024. Without serious intervention, the proportion could reach 50% by 2050. Packaging, containers and shopping bags together account for approximately 40% of plastic waste.
These figures underline the need to move beyond downstream waste treatment. Reducing waste at its source, strengthening collection systems, expanding treatment capacity and increasing recycling must be pursued simultaneously. Adequate infrastructure and cooperation across the value chain are essential to prevent plastic waste from entering terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
On October 15, international delegates visited waste management facilities and community initiatives in South Jakarta and South Tangerang. The visits included community-based waste sorting at Gesit Central Waste Bank, infrastructure at the Jakarta Recycling Center and Pesanggrahan Reduce-Reuse-Recycle Waste Processing Facility, as well as the role of informal waste workers at the Koperasi Pemulung Berdaya cooperative.
Industry representatives also voiced support for the international negotiations. Karyanto Wibowo, public affairs and sustainability director at Danone, said the INC process could provide an important opportunity to establish a more ambitious and effective global framework, using circular economy principles to reduce plastic pollution.
Indonesia expressed confidence that stronger international cooperation would help deliver an effective and practical global instrument, alongside domestic policies to accelerate plastic waste reduction at source and establish more sustainable waste management systems.
The INC on Plastic Pollution was established by the United Nations Environment Programme under United Nations Environment Assembly Resolution 5/14 in March 2022. Its mandate is to develop a legally binding international instrument addressing plastic pollution throughout the full life cycle of plastics. Negotiations have proceeded through successive sessions, including meetings in Busan and Geneva. (*)
