“A new UN treaty is crucial to set a high common standard of action for all countries to abide by, and to drive the transition to a circular economy for plastics globally and at scale”. The statement has been endorsed by companies including Amcor, Berry, The Coca-Cola Company, Mondelēz, Mondi, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, TOMRA, and Unilever.
In the statement, the group adds that the issue of plastic pollution must be handled at its source in order to stop the negative impacts of plastics being released into nature, and move forward with issues such as the climate crisis and biodiversity loss.
According to the group, it is necessary to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee at UNEA 5.2 to “develop an ambitious international, legally binding” treaty. UNEA 5.2 will take place online and in Nairobi between the 28th of February and the 2nd of March 2022.
The statement emphasises the need for policies to reduce virgin plastic production and the use of fossil resources in plastics. Additionally, the group says that a UN treaty is needed to bring governments, businesses, and the public into alignment, in order to set up a circular economy for success in practice and at scale. The statement concludes: “UNEA 5.2 is the decisive, most auspicious moment to turn the tide on the global plastic pollution crisis. We cannot afford to miss it.”
Andrew Morlet, CEO of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, commented on the statement: “Plastic pollution doesn’t stop at borders, it is a global problem that requires businesses and governments to work together on global solutions. Today marks the first time so many leading businesses have come together and called for a legally-binding, robust treaty; one that sets common rules and regulations, establishes a level playing field, and creates the conditions needed to deliver coordinated global solutions. This statement sends a powerful signal to policymakers that they now have an unprecedented opportunity to turn the tide on plastic pollution.”
