Plastic Waste andHow it isconnected toClimate Crisis
Chalani/ FoE Sri Lanka & Luna/ FoE Korea

Line up
1. How plastics affect climate change
2. The current situation of plastic issues especially in theAPAC region and connection to Climate Change
3. Global Plastics Treaty: what was done at INC4, what
we are demanding and expectation for INC5

How plastics affectclimate change

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Plastics cause greenhouse gas
emissions throughout its lifecycle.
Oil, gas, and coal are the building
blocks of fossil-fuel basedplastics.
Extraction and transportation ofthese fossil fuels is acarbon-intensive activity.
According to the World Economic
Forum, about 4-8% of annual
global oil consumption isassociated with plastics.

Source:https://foodprint.org/blog/plastic-and-climate-change/

How plastics affectclimate change
The estimate of OECD reveals thatthe life-cycle emissions of plastics
including production and disposal –is 1.8 billion tonnes carbon dioxide
equivalents.
As a whole, plastic production anduse contributes to 3.4% of global
greenhouse gas emissions.

Sources: How much of global greenhouse gas
emissions come from plastics? - Our World in Data.
The impacts of plastics’ life cycle - ScienceDirect.

Other problems of plastics - Human health and society••
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Ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposure, tochemicals of concern near production and disposal
facilities
Observed in drinking water (bottled and tap), beer, sea
salt, seafood, honeyObserved in the placenta, lung tissue, and blood
Chemical toxicity via exposure to additives in plastics
Physical particle toxicity and accumulation
Economic losses from littered beaches
Correlation with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Psychological impacts from littered beaches

Source: The impacts of plastics’ life cycle - ScienceDirect.

Other problems of plastics - on the Biodiversity

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Entanglement
Limited mobility
Strangulation
DeathIngestion and inhalation
Toxicity
Decreased reproductive
health• Habitat displacement• Transport invasive
species, viruses andpathogens

Source: The impacts of plastics’ life cycle - ScienceDirect.

Other problems of plastics - on the Environment
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Contamination
Air (e.g., indoor dust, sea spray, etc.)
Water (e.g., surface water, groundwater, sea ice, glaciers,oceans)
Soil (e.g., agricultural lands, landfills)
Impact to plant growth/agriculture from plastics in soils
Chemical release and transformation
Polymer-associated chemicals
Adsorb environmental contaminants
ClimateExtraction of fossil fuels for plastic production
Carbon cycling impeded by microplastics

Source: The impacts of plastics’ life cycle - ScienceDirect.

The current situation of plastic issues especiallyin the APAC region and connection to Climate Change•Waste colonialism APAC is a victim ofplastic waste tradedespite having
inadequate waste
management/disposal facilities,
leading to pollution as
well as human rights
violations
https://breakfreefpdev.wpengine.com/wp-co
ntent/uploads/2022/0
9/Plastic-Waste-Trad
e-Briefing-Paper.pdf

Export data source: Japan Export
Data — Basel Action Network

The current situation of plastic issues especiallyin the APAC region and connection to Climate Change
Issue

Palestine Sri Lanka India

Banglade Indonesi
Philippin
Malaysia
Japan
shaes

1. Waste colonialism

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2. Chemical pollution throughconsumer plastics

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3. Emissions in production

X4. Emissions in disposal

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X

5. Inadequate national laws

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X

X

6. Neglecting equitable, justtransition of waste pickers

X

X

X

7. False solutions

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X

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X

X

X

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X

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X

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SouthKorea

X

X

X

PNG

Australia

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

GPT: what was done at INC4,what we are demanding and expectation for INC5
[GPT, Global Plastic Treaty]●UNEA-5.2- International legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment- The approach considering the full life cycle of plastic●The resolution (5/14) :https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/39812/OEWG_PP_1_INF_1_UNEA%20resolution.pdf●INC, Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee- INC-1; Punta del Este, Uruguay from 28 November to 2 December 2022
- INC-2; Paris, France from 29 May to 2 June 2023
- INC-3; Nairobi, Kenya from 13 to 19 November 2023
- INC-4; Ottawa, Canada from 23 to 29 April 2024
- INC-5; Busan, Republic of Korea, from25 November to 1 December 2024

GPT: what was done at INC4,
what we are demanding and expectation for INC5
[INC-4]●Discussion section- Objects, scops, regulations and means of implementation- Compilation of draft text
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/45a858/Compilation_Text.pdf●Key issues- Primary plastic polymers and chemicals of concern
Reduce global production of primary plastic polymers VS Oppose
Set the global target (Top-down) VS Nationally determined measures (Bottom-up)
Eliminate and restrict the use of chemical of concern VS Each party takes the necessary measures- Problematic products and product design
Restrict the production, sale, import or export of the single-use plastic production VS Take measures based on national plan
Enhance the design of plastic products VS Each party takes measures based on national capabilities- Extended Producer Responsibility and waste management- Financial mechanism and means of implementation●Upcoming- Intersessional Open-ended Expert Groups: From 24 to 28 Aug, Bangkok

GPT: what was done at INC4,
what we are demanding and expectation for INC5
[INC-5]●

Scope of the new Treaty - whole lifecycle of all plastics and associated pollution,
especially upstream production controls and trade●Binding rules, not a voluntary approach●

Ambitious global target to reduce plastic production●

Stop the dirty trade in waste and harmful plastic products●

Hold transnational corporations accountable●

No greenwashing or false solutions●

Just transition and a human right-based approach●

Support system change solutions●

Zero waste hierarchy●

https://www.foei.org/publication/foei-demands-for-the-new-plastics-treaty/