Alliance at UNEA-5.2 in Nairobi, Kenya

Overview

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste participated in the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, recently, where we expressed our support for resolution to begin discussions for plastic agreement to #EndPlasticWaste in the environment

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A call for an internationally legally binding agreement

Amid global uncertainties, over 170 member states forged ahead and agreed to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to forge an internationally legally binding instrument to end plastic waste pollution by 2024. This underpins a strong framework for global coordination and governance that adopt a full life cycle approach in addressing plastic waste. The next two years of multilateral negotiations will be critical to find alignment around targets, measurements, and a host of other issues across the whole value chain.

The Alliance looks forward to an inclusive approach that takes into consideration local and national needs and capacities, and promotes cooperation among local communities, the informal sector,municipalities, civil society, and the private sector.

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The focus of the agreement

The Alliance reiterates that the focus for the agreement is on its successful implementation, and that its mission is to drive collective action across different stakeholder groups to address the plastic waste challenge, with an emphasis on improving collection, sorting, processing, and recycling. In addition to meetings on the sidelines of the Assembly, Vice President of Communications of the Alliance, Allison Lim delivered a statement at the 'Steps of a participatory approach towards a new global agreement on marine litter and plastic pollution' meeting.

With a membership of companies and partners spanning the entire plastic value chain, who are highly motivated to explore, develop, de-risk and scale sustainable and commercially viable models that will deliver better waste management, especially in the underserved areas, the Alliance is keen to collaborate to offer technical assistance, capacity building, knowledge transfer and open innovation to facilitate this.

She added: “The Alliance to End Plastic Waste firmly believes in the private sector’s catalytic role to accelerate innovation and channel capital to develop effective and scalable solutions to end leakage of plastic waste into the environment.”

“I’m absolutely convinced that we get better results when governments, businesses and civil society work together, inspired by knowledge and research.”

-Mr. Espen Barth Eide

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Jacob shares what inspires him every day and what drove him to lead the sustainability and waste management agenda at the Alliance to End Plastic Waste.

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During the Assembly, Mr. Espen Barth Eide, President of UNEA5.2 and Minister of Climate and the Environment, Norway, spoke of the Alliance and its membership as a group of engaged businesses that contribute to the process of ending plastic waste.

“These treaties would have never come around if it wasn’t for the broader collaboration of civil society, of youth movements, of engaged businesses. And I would like to salute and applaud the great efforts of several organisations. Too many to mention, but maybe I still would like to say that the strong efforts of the WWF and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste which represent the two sides of this. They are an NGO driving knowledge and engagement on the nature front and concerned businesses who want to bring us forward. I’m absolutely convinced that we get better results when governments, businesses and civil society work together, inspired by knowledge and research,” said Mr. Espen.

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Ready to engage with aligned stakeholders

CEO and President of the Alliance, Jacob Duer, emphasized that over the next two years, the Alliance will be ready to engage in multi-stakeholder discussions to help shape a proposed framework and establish systems and infrastructures needed to contribute to a circular economy - be it through innovation, clear reporting standards, or innovative financing models - to drive the development of sustainable solutions.

"Convening multiple stakeholders is no easy feat. Yet, I was inspired by the strong alignment demonstrated in the discussions that took place," Mr. Duer said. "There is a lot to do ahead, and I am excited to be a part of this global initiative to end plastic waste in the environment."

Read more about the resolution.