December 9, 2023 | 4:30 pm - 6 pm
B6, Building 71, Chile Pavillion, Blue Zone*, COP28
This Davos-style discussion, hosted by the Government of Chile and Ocean Conservancy, will feature Parties, private sector representatives, and non-governmental organizations and the actions they are taking to integrate actions to advance plastic reduction as a climate mitigation tool.
Addressing the climate crisis requires a holistic approach that considers all available solutions. Decarbonization of the plastics industry is a pivotal climate change mitigation strategy with direct co-benefits for the conservation of marine ecosystems and human health. 99% of plastics are made from fossil fuel feedstocks and the plastics industry is on a rapid growth trajectory, driving high levels of greenhouse gas pollution from production to disposal and prolonging incentives for continued oil and gas extraction. This growth would result in the tripling of marine plastic pollution by the middle of the century, a direct threat to marine ecosystems and coastal communities already at heightened risk from climate change.
This complex, multidimensional issue requires coordinated action across governments, civil society, and the private sector to effectively address its root causes and impacts. This session will feature new research and provide actionable insights for governments and private sector decision-makers interested in addressing the climate impacts of plastics, informed by the parallel international negotiations to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment and in the context of the complex biodiversity and human health impacts of the issue. The panel will explore opportunities for action, including nationally determined contributions and corporate and investor climate commitments, enabling conditions for action and synergies in climate and plastics policies.
Keynote remarks
- Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Panel Discussion
- Peter Justice Dery, Director, Environment Division, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ghana
- Gonzalo Guaiquil, Directorate of Environment, Climate Change and Oceans, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chile
- Robin Millington, Chief Executive Officer, Planet Tracker (TBC)
- Mark Tubedan Peñalver, Executive Director, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) (Philippines)
Moderator
- Aarthi Ananthanarayanan, Director, Climate and Plastics, Ocean Conservancy
* Accreditation to the Blue Zone at COP28 is required to attend this event.