Are you living your best life? Well, and some of the companies that provide these beloved items have teamed up to push for a strong global plastics treaty. champion of change – A global initiative led by Greenpeace, Break Free From Plastic, and the Plastic Pollution Coalition aims to leverage the influence of the business community to secure a treaty that begins to protect people and the planet.
Lush, Ben & Jerry’s, reuse business partnerships with: new era And many other companies around the world have signed contracts. open letterWe call on governments to negotiate a strong treaty to reduce plastic production and encourage the rollout of reuse and refill systems. You may remember that in early October, Lush Cosmetics, one of the Champions of Change signatories, hosted an event at its U.S. and Canadian stores inviting customers to call for a stronger treaty. Lush was one of the first companies to sign and has been actively involved in supporting new business practices and product offerings. Our current economy and product delivery system is plastic-centric, but a strong treaty could help accelerate the transition to a truly zero-waste, reuse-based economy.
The government must raise its ambitions in the make-or-break talks this November.
Starting in 2022, governments have been meeting with a mandate to conclude a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. A series of negotiations to agree a global plastics treaty, known as the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings, has begun in Uruguay. It was followed by France, Kenya, and Canada in April. INC-5 begins November 25 in Busan, South Korea. If countries can secure a strong treaty that limits plastic production and provides a clear path to a reuse-based society, the world will have a real chance of solving the plastic pollution crisis. .
The science is clear about what we need to do to solve this problem. Turning off the tap to stop plastic production is the most effective way to protect the climate, biodiversity and our health. Sounds simple, right? But as we get closer to the end of 2024, time is running out. And the fossil fuel industry and some governments are doing everything they can to undermine the treaty and continue to release plastic. If things get their way and business continues as usual, plastic production could triple by 2050.
Many countries are trying to push the talks in the right direction. that Bridge to Busan The declaration, signed by 39 countries, shows support for a deal to reduce global plastic production to limit global temperature rise to below 1.5°C. Takeout containers, what is the corporate responsibility?
Leading companies must advocate for a strong and ambitious global plastics treaty.
Whether we like it or not, companies are at the forefront of the plastic pollution problem, not only as major producers and users of single-use plastics, but also as innovators and adopters of alternatives and solutions. Many companies already know that ditching plastic is not only good for the environment, it’s also good for business! In fact, research shows that a zero waste approach Create more than 200 times more jobs rather than disposal-based systems that primarily burn or bury waste.
There has never been a better time for forward-thinking companies around the world to send a powerful message to their governments. They support the creation of an ambitious, legally binding global plastics treaty to reduce plastic production and end pollution across the entire life cycle of plastics.
That’s why we’re happy to highlight it. More than 350 companies and corporations around the world I signed up champion of change. By uniting reuse and refill stores, low-plastic and plastic-free brands, and businesses committed to operating actively without contributing to the plastic crisis, the goal is to show that ending the plastic era does not conflict with a healthy business environment. .
INC-5 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address plastic pollution at its source and deliver long-lasting, systemic solutions that put people and the planet first.
companyIf you believe in a cleaner, less polluted future, we invite you to join your fellow business leaders in creating a strong global plastics pact. champion of change and sign an open letter!
Not a business? No problem! You can sign our petition to show your support for an ambitious global plastics treaty. Without you we wouldn’t have been able to get this far. Let’s keep going together until we win!
Louise Edge is Head of Global Corporate Campaigns at Greenpeace UK and Sarah King is Political Strategist for Greenpeace Canada’s Oceans, Plastics and Nature Campaign.
