Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF)’s Post

Green Worms has been featured in the new edition of the Plastics Circularity Investment Tracker by The Circulate Initiative in Collaboration with IFC Climate & Sustainability. The launch comes at a pivotal time as negotiations towards a global plastics treaty reach the final stage. The third edition of the Plastics Circularity Investment Tracker highlights the significant financing gap that exists in tackling plastic pollution and the critical role private investments play in addressing it. This report provides the latest data and insights on the state of private investments in plastics circularity and sheds light on several examples of successful private capital mobilization. With ongoing discussions on the international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (ILBI), the findings signal the urgent need for greater transparency to support data-driven decision making. Jabir Karat Chakravarthy AB #circuarity #circulareconomy #plasticpollution #plasticwaste #financinggap #oceanplastic #sustainability #plasticstreaty #sustainablefinance #esg #globalplastictreaty

🌍 Exciting News- Another Publication Alert! 🎉- It's all about "The Establishment of Science-Policy Interfaces for the Global Plastics Treaty: Reflections on Small Island Developing States’ Perspectives" Aleke Stöfen-O'Brien and I delved into this impactful topic that's now officially published! On 2 March 2022, the U.N. Environment Assembly tasked the UNEP with a vital mission: to set up an international committee aimed at forging a globally binding agreement on plastic pollution by 2024. Our research spotlights the unique hurdles faced by small island developing States (SIDS) as we move toward establishing a Science-Policy Interface (SPI). Why is this crucial? Because tackling plastic pollution isn't just about science; it's about weaving in the richness of traditional and local knowledge right from the start. In our article, we champion the vision of co-creation and co-design with traditional and local stakeholders’ knowledge. It's time to ensure that their voices are not just heard but are a driving force in shaping policies. I advocate for revolutionizing environmental governance by uniting diverse knowledge systems to effectively tackle plastic pollution. 🌊Dive into our full article to explore how integrating these perspectives can lead not only to more comprehensive solutions but also to resilient and inclusive environmental policies. https://lnkd.in/eanEUSfw #PlasticPollution #EnvironmentalGovernance #UNEP #SciencePolicyInterface #SIDS #TraditionalKnowledge #SustainableFuture #ResearchImpact

As #INC5 negotiations unfold in #Busan, the Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP stands united in calling for an ambitious and effective treaty to end the plastic pollution. Plastics have infiltrated every corner of our planet, threatening ecosystems, human health, climate stability, and biodiversity. Here are the Top 10 Priorities we are championing at INC-5: 🔁 1. Full Lifecycle Approach: Target plastics from production to disposal, focusing on reducing production, redesigning for reuse, and remediating legacy pollution. ❌ 2. Ban & Phase Out Problematic Plastics: Set binding targets to eliminate avoidable plastics, microplastics, and unnecessary polymers to tackle the root cause. ⚠️ 3. Address Toxic Chemicals: Implement hazard-based controls and ban harmful chemicals in plastics to protect human and environmental health. 🤝 4. Justice & Human Rights: Commit to a just transition for communities affected by plastic pollution, prioritizing human rights and sustainable livelihoods. 🌿 5. Protect Nature & Biodiversity: Align treaty goals with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework #KMGBF, ensuring pollution-free ecosystems. 🧠 6. Best Science Meets Indigenous Wisdom: Blend cutting-edge science with Indigenous and local knowledge to craft holistic solutions. 🛠️ 7. Sustainable Alternatives: Promote safe, accessible non-plastic substitutes while preventing greenwashing. 📦 8. EPR & Waste Management: Hold producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of plastics through extended producer responsibility and fair waste systems. 💸 9. Financing Solutions: Mobilize public-private funding, including dedicated support for youth-led innovations and eco-friendly alternatives. 🗣️ 10. Stakeholder Inclusivity: Secure meaningful participation for all—children, youth, women, Indigenous communities, and workers—while safeguarding processes from corporate influence. 📢 Let’s unite for action. Share this message and amplify the call for a treaty that supports keeping the 1.5°C #ParisAgreement climate goal alive, advances biodiversity goals and targets under #KMGBF and #BBNJ, and delivers #ForPeopleAndPlanet! Find more at https://lnkd.in/ecCt-NK9 Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Scientists' Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution Business For A Plastics Treaty IUCN IPEN (International Pollutants Elimination Network) Youth and Environment Europe (YEE) United Nations Foundation ECONOW #INC5 #PlasticsTreaty #YouthEndingPlasticPollution

The upcoming GO!PHA webinar on the UN Treaty of Plastics will feature Mahesh Sugathan’s insights on ‘Promoting environmentally sound, safe and effective non-plastic substitutes: Relevance of trade and investment-related policies and processes'. These policies determine the flow of materials and investments, impacting the adoption of sustainable alternatives and the regulation of harmful substances. We are looking forward to your participation! ➡ Registrations: https://lnkd.in/ehpcWnKj Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) #BeatPlasticPollution #SuitableSubstitutes #CircularEconomy #SustainableSolutions #GlobalPlasticsTreaty

Driving a Sustainable Future: The Global Push for a Circular Plastics Economy In a significant step towards establishing a circular plastics economy, leading organizations like Yunus Environment Hub, GIZ, and IUCN are emphasizing the importance of social inclusion and economic justice. As the global community gears up for the final Intergovernmental Negotiations Committee meeting, it is crucial to ensure that socio-economic barriers are dismantled, making way for effective implementation of a global plastics treaty. By focusing on social inclusion across the entire plastics value chain, we can align efforts towards an equitable future where economies thrive and environmental sustainability prevails. A newly created resource document highlights key considerations and offers a call to action for stakeholders engaged in this critical discourse on plastic pollution. How can businesses and policymakers collaborate to ensure a just and inclusive transition to a circular plastics economy? #CircularEconomy #PlasticPollution #Sustainability #SocialInclusion #GlobalTreaty #EconomicJustice

We know the stats: it's time to focus on solutions. Later this month the UN treaty to end plastic pollution will enter its final round of negotiations in Busan, Republic of Korea - a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tackle plastic waste at its source. An op-ed by Dame Ellen Macarthur and Christiana Figueres highlights the potentially massive benefits of getting this treaty right. A robust global regulatory framework can: 💵 Unlock billions of dollars across the private sector, making it easier and more efficient for businesses to operate across borders and simplify their supply chains. 💡 Stimulate innovation and bring investment into new materials, processes, technologies, and infrastructure. 🧩 Governments can save costs from streamlined waste management (projected to be $220 billion by 2040) and from not having to develop their own regulatory, technical, and reporting solutions. 💚 Countries can avoid the ballooning costs of plastic pollution’s impact on human health and the environment, conservatively estimated by the United Nations Environment Programme at nearly $450 billion a year. And this is only the financial lens. It's time to write a new story in which we solve the plastics pollution crisis together, for the benefit of us all. Learn more here: https://buff.ly/4hTqqjg Ellen MacArthur Foundation UN Environment Programme #INC5 #PlasticsTreaty

🌍🌱 Happy Earth Day! 🌱🌍 As we gather to celebrate our planet's beauty and resilience, it's imperative to acknowledge the pressing issues that threaten its delicate balance. This year, Earth Day carries a weighty theme: Planet VS Plastics. With the upcoming #PlasticsTreaty negotiation on the horizon, the urgency to address the global plastic crisis has never been more pronounced. The Finance for Biodiversity, together with Principles for Responsible Investment, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), the Business Coalition, De Vereniging van Beleggers voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling (VBDO) and CDP, drafted a statement to demonstrate finance sector’s support for an ambitious international legally binding instrument (ILBI) to end plastic pollution and to set out what a robust agreement from the perspective of the financial sector. 💫 160 financial institutions representing 15.5 USD trillion in combined assets have signed the Finance Statement! Read it here 👇 #PlanetvsPlastics

A new historic international legally binding treaty to curb plastic pollution, expected to become effective by end of 2024, is currently under negotiation. This treaty will join the ranks of other important multilateral agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Find out more: https://bit.ly/42ZS9I0 Sign-up for the below upcoming webinar with my colleague Jan Raes to understand the relevance and impact of this treaty to the global finance sector (banks, asset managers, insurance, police-makers and regulators). #sustainability #internationaldevelopment #climatepolicy

🌍🛠️ Global Plastics Treaty in Focus: Key UN Negotiations in Busan This Week 🤝 ♻️ This week, global leaders convene in Busan 🇰🇷 for pivotal discussions on the Global Plastics Treaty. The aim? To tackle the pressing issue of plastic pollution and establish a unified framework to manage plastic usage worldwide. Stay updated on the negotiations that could shape the future of sustainability and environmental policies for years to come. For more details on the treaty and what it means for our planet, follow the link: https://lnkd.in/g5He7ZKG #GlobalPlasticsTreaty #Sustainability #UNNegotiations #PlasticPollution #EnvironmentalPolicy #EnvironmentalImpact #SDGs #StopPlastics

Brilliant to see the global Finance industry (159 financial insutitutions, in addition to Scottish Widows) come together to call on governments to agree an ambitious ILBI that sets a clear objective to end plastic pollution and that is supported by binding rules and obligations for governments to address the full life cycle of plastic. We have asked that the ILBI should also be based on a scientific approach and create a framework to align all economic actors towards its objectives.