Volumes of plastic waste entering the environment remain at record levels. Despite successful campaigns and voluntary initiatives to reduce the volumes of plastic produced and used and to clean up plastic waste in environments around the world, the problems of plastic waste polluting the environment persist. In the next 10 years, the plastic waste that reaches waterways, and ultimately the oceans, will be between 22 and 58 million tons a year.

In recent years the climate crisis has taken centre stage in media and public consciousness as the impact of climate change has become more real and the political will to address the problem has enjoyed renewed attention around focal events like COP26. The plastic waste crisis has experienced moments of increased attention, but efforts to address the issue remain localised and volumes of plastic waste are still increasing.

To create a global response and to ultimately reduce the plastic waste pollution in our environment, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WWF, together with corporate, government and civil society supporters around the world, are calling for there to be a new UN Treaty on plastic pollution. The fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly resumes online and in Nairobi on 28 February – 2 March 2022 and where governments will have an unprecedented opportunity to agree to establish a treaty that will help fix plastic pollution for good.

In the run up to this important forum, H+K Better Impact is gathering an expert panel to discuss the merits of a treaty and why it’s vital to tackle the plastic waste crisis.  The session will be moderated by BusinessGreen’s Editor, James Murray.

Key points of discussion will include: 

  • Why is a UN treaty needed to tackle plastic pollution?
  • Why are existing voluntary and government initiatives insufficient?
  • What are the key parts of a treaty needed to make it effective?
  • How likely is the treaty to be successfully enacted?
  • What should businesses be doing to support a treaty?

Speakers

  • Carsten Wachholz, Senior Policy Manager – Ellen MacArthur Foundation
  • Christina Niemelä Ström, Supply Sustainability Manager – IKEA
  • David Clark, Vice President Sustainability – Amcor
  • Kristin Hughes, Director – WEF Global Plastic Action Partnership Programme

Register here.

H+K Better Impact: We challenge businesses and brands to have a better impact on people and the planet, to align performance and purpose and deliver on new stakeholder expectations.