Observers shut out as overflow rooms close amid crucial plastics treaty talks

As the second week—the make-or-break phase—of the global plastics treaty negotiations gets underway in Geneva, observers are sounding the alarm over being shut out of the talks.

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On Monday, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) Secretariat closed the overflow rooms used by observers to follow contact group negotiations, cutting off a vital access point for the 1,800 registered observers at INC-5.2.

The move comes on top of already limited space in the contact group rooms themselves—much of it occupied by industry representatives—making the overflow rooms essential for civil society, scientists, and frontline communities to monitor proceedings.