Elena Khishchenko’s Post

As world leaders prepare for the fifth and final negotiation round for a global treaty to end plastic pollution (INC-5), the urgency of the situation is clear. Plastic continues to pollute our planet, impacting wildlife and infiltrating our bodies through the air we breathe and the food and water we consume. Since the start of the negotiations alone, nearly 20 million metric tonnes of plastics have entered our ocean. INC-5 must be the moment our leaders decide on bold, binding global actions across the entire plastic lifecycle to protect nature and human health and put our planet on a path to recovery. To ensure that world leaders deliver the #plasticstreaty that people and nature need, WWF has identified four essential outcomes states must secure at #INC-5. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gqznyBfW Kirsten Schuijt | Adil Najam | Daudi Sumba | Cristianne Close | John Duncan | Eirik Lindebjerg | Zaynab Sadan | Elena Khishchenko | Zach Abraham | Pauli Merriman | Gretchen Lyons | Peter Thomson

Our common ambition to end plastic pollution by 2040 is increasingly supported, referenced and called upon. The 66 Ministers of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution reiterate their strong and united commitment to finalizing negotiations on an ambitious and effective treaty at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in Busan next week. https://lnkd.in/d-hBbV_z

A clear, moving and touching message to the negotiators during yesterday's stocktaking plenary session by Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez. A delegate from Panama. "We don't have time nor the resources to run another round of negotiations. We must rise to the occasion, leaving Busan with the global plastic treaty." We're here because over the past 48hrs since we started working here in Busan, 3 billion plastic bottles are purchased globally that will further poison oceans, ecosystems and bodies." Failing to reach an agreement cannot be an option or alternative when facing the global crisis such as plastic pollution. #globalplastictreaty #PlasticTreaty #PlasticPollution #Busan #plasticproduction #internationaltreaties #singleuseplastics #microplastics #plastictradeoff #productdesign #multilateralagreements

🌍 New Blog Post Alert: Road to INC-5: United Nations for Plastic Pollution Action 🌍 Join us on the journey from Uruguay to Busan as the global community strives to finalize a United Nations treaty aimed at combating plastic pollution. The upcoming INC-5 session in Busan marks a crucial step towards creating a binding agreement that addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, from production to disposal, with the goal of mitigating the significant environmental threats posed by plastic waste. This landmark treaty promises to reshape the landscape for businesses, driving innovation in materials science, packaging design, and recycling technologies. By proactively adapting to new regulations and investing in sustainable alternatives, businesses can not only comply with upcoming standards but also gain a competitive edge in the market. Read all about it here! https://lnkd.in/g67ZMvF6 #Sustainability #PlasticPollution #UNTreaty #INC5 #Innovation #SustainableBusiness

🌍 INC-5 in Busan: Progress have been made, but the journey continues 🌱 The 5th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) on a global treaty to combat plastic pollution, concluded yesterday in Busan without a final agreement. Nevertheless, after days of intensive discussions bringing together over 3,300 delegates from 170+ countries and 440 organisations, a Chair’s Text (available below) was adopted as the basis for the next round of negotiations in 2025. 🗣 Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, noted: "The world’s commitment to ending plastic pollution is clear and undeniable. Here in Busan, talks have moved us closer to agreeing on a global legally binding treaty that will protect our health, our environment, and our future from the onslaught of plastic pollution". 📌 What’s Next? Delegates have agreed to reconvene in 2025, with the discussions based on the Chair’s 5th non-paper. In the meantime, all eyes are on the Cour internationale de Justice (CIJ) and the oral hearings of the States, which are starting today!   ➡️ Watch the full Opening Plenary here: bit.ly/watchOClive ➡️ And watch the hearings live here: https://lnkd.in/e9Yuz6-b #PlasticsTreaty #INC5

🌍 Plastic Pollution Negotiations Make Progress in Busan: A Global Commitment to Change The 5th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in #Busan, South Korea, concluded with a milestone agreement on a ‘Chair’s Text’ — setting the stage for a legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution. With over 3,300 delegates from 170+ nations, the discussions moved closer to securing a global solution to protect our health and environment. Inger Andersen, UNEP’s Executive Director, emphasized, “The world’s commitment to ending plastic pollution is clear. The talks in Busan have made significant strides toward a global treaty, but critical areas still need time to be addressed.” Ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso, Chair of the INC, called for continued dialogue, stressing the urgency of protecting ecosystems and human health. As we look ahead to 2025, the world has a historic opportunity to tackle plastic pollution — a challenge we cannot afford to miss. #PlasticPollution #GCIC

Last call: all aboard the High Ambition Train to Busan   I couldn’t resist the chance to use this title since finding out I’d be heading to Busan! As I head to Busan where the final round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty will take place next week, I can’t stress enough how critical this moment is. The treaty represents a vital opportunity to turn the tide on our global plastics crisis and address plastic pollution at its root causes. For the past two years, I have been fortunate to work at De Vereniging van Beleggers voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling (VBDO), collaborating with institutional investors, like-minded NGOs, and civil society organisations on this urgent issue. Together with nearly 200 investors, we have engaged with 36 major FMCGs and grocery retailers to reduce their plastic footprint and encouraged them to join the Business For A Plastics Treaty. We have also advocated directly with policymakers through letters to MEPs on the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and members of the High Ambition Coalition for the treaty. Back in May 2023, when we launched our investor coalition, it was called by the Financial Times the largest coalition of its kind at the time. Since then, momentum in the finance sector has only grown: - In April, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Finance Statement was published, signed by over 160 investors managing over $15 trillion in assets. - In June, Planet Tracker released an investor statement signed by 65 investors, focused on addressing the role of the petrochemical industry in plastic pollution. This week will be intense, with many key developments expected. To stay informed, I recommend following updates from organisations such as Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Environmental Investigation Agency, CDP, Planet Tracker, and Break Free From Plastic. 📄 Referred statements: VBDO Investor Statement: https://lnkd.in/e-wC2Tfs The Finance Statement on Plastic Pollution: https://lnkd.in/eiJjmsB2 Planet Tracker Investor Statement: https://lnkd.in/e3AFU88J 📍 If you are in Busan, let’s meet up and discuss further! Together, we can push for the bold, binding commitments the world needs to tackle plastic pollution. #PlasticReduction #GlobalPlasticsTreaty #Sustainability #INC5 #CircularEconomy #ResponsibleInvestment

After two years of rigorous negotiations and an intense week of discussions in Busan, 🇰🇷, it is disappointing that no agreement could be reached on a global #PlasticsTreaty. This outcome is a stark reminder of the growing challenge plastic pollution poses to our environment and the urgent need for collective, ambitious action. With plastic waste choking our oceans, harming ecosystems, and threatening human health, the world cannot afford to delay decisive measures. 🌍 As responsible citizens and advocates for sustainable development, we must continue to push for global cooperation and practical solutions that address the root causes of this crisis. The fight against plastic pollution requires everyone—governments, organizations, and individuals—to unite and take action now. #INC5 #BeatPlasticPollution #Sustainability #GlobalAction #CircularEconomy #MissionLiFE #SaveOurOceans

Let’s make Busan a place to remember !🌏 ➿ This week marks a pivotal moment as South Korea hosts the final round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty in Busan. To truly tackle the plastic pollution crisis, inclusive and effective participation of diverse stakeholders must be at the heart of the Treaty, especially those most impacted. ♻️ In light of this, the Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP, in collaboration with ECONOW, hosted the inspiring 'Youth & Stakeholder Assembly' today at Dongseo University. The event brought together a vibrant mix of youth, women, waste pickers, children, businesses, civil society, technical experts, and more, fostering powerful intergenerational and intersectional dialogue on plastic pollution. 🗯️ It was an honour to co-organise this event alongside an incredible team Zuhair Ahmed Kowshik, Shellan Saling, Janna Radi Mohamed, Koeun Lee, Olga Skaredina and many others. Madhuvanthi Rajkumar and I had the pleasure to moderate a thought-provoking session on Just Transition. Our stellar panel John Chweya - International Alliance of Waste Pickers, Carlos RV Silva Filho - ISWA International Solid Waste Association, Jeet Kar - World Economic Forum, Paula Pariz - Fundación Avina, and Nancy Marangu - Chemichemi Foundation delved deep into how we can better integrate the informal sector into global waste management solutions. 👀 Key takeaways included the urgent need for: 📊 Data and monitoring: frameworks to measure the informal sector’s vital contributions to waste management and track the treaty's impacts. ♻️ Extended Producer Responsibility : building inclusive systems that support informal workers with capacity building, fair financing, and safety measures. 💡 Financial mechanisms: equitable funding for marginalised groups, like women and youth, to build their resilience and capacities. 📈 Market-Based instruments: policies like subsidies or credits to empower informal workers while driving sustainable consumer behaviours. 🤝 International cooperation: cross-border partnerships and knowledge-sharing to ensure fair, inclusive, and sustainable waste management practices.

It's deeply troubling to realize how we are poisoning ourselves every hour of every day—regardless of whether we live in wealthy or developing nations. Plastic pollution is pervasive; it doesn't discriminate. It’s in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we consume. This is a global crisis that demands urgent action. The failure to reach an agreement on a global #PlasticsTreaty after such rigorous negotiations highlights the immense challenge we face, but it should also serve as a rallying call. Plastic waste is not just an environmental issue—it’s a human health issue, an ecosystem survival issue, and a moral issue. 🌍 We cannot afford inaction. #Governments, #organizations, and #individuals must come together to tackle this crisis head-on. The time to act is now—there’s no #PlanetB. 🌱 #Sustainability #ActNow #PlasticPollution #EnvironmentalJustice