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Miami Herald
21-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Join Newsweek Thursday for a Live Event: Turning the Tide on Plastic Waste
Marine scientists estimate that, on average, every minute the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic waste enters the world's oceans, where it harms ocean wildlife and threatens entire ecosystems. Human health concerns about plastics are also on the rise as more research emerges about our exposure to microplastics and hazardous chemical components of some plastic materials. Three years ago, world leaders at the United Nations Environment Assembly pledged to do something about plastic waste with a historic resolution to forge an international agreement to address the full lifecycle of plastic from production and design to collection, disposal and recycling. The U.N. goal was to finalize a treaty on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. However, the last round of talks ended in stalemate between some wealthy nations that produce plastics and the developing countries that often end up shouldering the burden of plastic waste. Next month, international negotiators will gather in Geneva in another attempt to reach an agreement on a global plastic treaty. Join Newsweek Thursday, July 24, at 2 p.m. ET for the live remote event "Turning the Tide on Plastic Waste," an expert discussion on the treaty and what it could mean for one of the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Our panel will feature leading industry innovators working to reduce packaging waste and improve recycling alongside policy experts who will unpack the treaty's key provisions and preview what to expect in the next round of talks. Panelists include: Steve Alexander, president and chief executive officer of the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). As the international trade association representing the plastics recycling industry, the APR is "the voice of plastics recycling," and members cover a wide range of companies committed to the success of plastics recycling. Alexander spent more than 20 year representing corporate and association clients on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures, including 10 years with Eastman Kodak Company, where he specialized in environment, technology and appropriations issues. Read about the APR's work to improve plastic recycling in this story from December. Dr. Douglas McCauley, professor at the University of California Santa Barbara and adjunct Professor at UC Berkeley. McCauley is the director of UC Santa Barbara's Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory and co-director of UC Berkeley's Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science and Environment. McCauley was named a Sloan Research Fellow in the Ocean Sciences and a member of the World Economic Forum's Friends of Ocean Action. His research includes field work with marine animals directly affected by plastic waste and analysis of the potential impacts of policies under consideration in the UN global plastics treaty. Read about some of McCauley's analysis of plastic waste policies in this story from November. Erin Simon, vice president and head, Plastic Waste and Business at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Since joining WWF in 2011, Simon has played an integral role in growing the partnerships, programs and science that have made WWF a leader in solving plastic pollution. In addition to helping spearhead WWF's No Plastic in Nature initiative, she led the development of programs to transform how business can fight plastic waste. An expert on plastics and packaging, Simon is a key member of the WWF delegation advocating for a global plastics treaty. Before WWF, she was a packaging engineer at HP for 10 years, responsible for the design and implementation of laser jet printer and media packaging. Read some of Simon's analysis of the last round of treaty talks in this story from December. Moderated by Newsweek's environment and sustainability editor, Jeff Young, "Turning the Tide on Plastic Waste" will offer timely insights for business and community leaders working to meet the plastic waste challenge. Register here and then join us Thursday from your laptop or mobile device. Related Articles States are Key to Controlling Plastic Waste, But Study Shows Few Have ActedUN Sets Date for New Talks on a Global Plastics TreatyMicroplastics Are Widespread in Seafood We Eat, Study FindsThe World's Fifth-Largest Economy Is About to Ban Most Polystyrene Foam 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Muscat Daily
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Muscat Daily
Oman engages with Africa, EU, G77 on environment
Muscat – Oman took part in the 20th African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) held in Nairobi from July 14 to 18. The delegation was led by Dr Abdullah bin Ali al Amri, Chairman of Environment Authority and President of the seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7). Oman's participation was part of the preparatory plan as UNEA-7 president focusing on partnership with all stakeholders to ensure a successful session. This edition of AMCEN also marked the 40th anniversary of the conference, which was founded in 1985 and has contributed to progress in sustainable development, biodiversity protection, climate action and pollution control. In his address, Amri commended AMCEN and the African Union for their long-standing contributions to joint environmental action across the continent. He traced the conference's journey since its inception in Cairo and acknowledged its role in shaping a unified African environmental agenda and strengthening the continent's voice in global negotiations. He underlined the collaboration between AMCEN and UNEA as a model for regional-global partnerships, noting its significance in advancing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and Africa's Agenda 2063. Amri also outlined a vision to strengthen AMCEN's role through science-based policymaking, climate-sensitive financing, the use of digital and AI tools for environmental monitoring, and integrated approaches linking energy, minerals and the environment. He emphasised the need for inclusive and just green transitions in future development. On the sidelines of the conference, Amri held a series of meetings with key stakeholders. He met representatives of the Group of 77 and China to exchange views on the draft Ministerial Declaration and agenda topics. Discussions on similar themes were also held with EU representatives, including the European Commissioner for Environment and Circular Economy. Amri also met the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation in Nairobi, with talks focusing on UNEA-7 preparations. He held a separate meeting with Dr Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, to explore areas of collaboration with the Convention Secretariat. Additionally, Amri held consultations with several African environment ministers, reviewing the state of preparations for UNEA-7 and gathering inputs on the draft Ministerial Declaration.
Observer
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Oman hosts virtual meet for UN Environment Assembly
MUSCAT: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Environment Authority, hosted a joint virtual preparatory meeting in preparation for the 7th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7), scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from December 8-12, 2025. The meeting was attended by Dr Abdullah bin Ali al Amri, Chairman of the Environment Authority. The meeting discussed the latest developments regarding the draft ministerial declaration for UNEA-7, which aims to advance sustainable solutions to global environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. The participants also reviewed a draft guide for the mechanism of submitting proposed resolutions by member states, presented by the UNEA-7 Secretariat, along with guidelines for draft resolutions. The meeting examined a concept note on organising a dedicated day for multilateral environmental agreements to enhance their role and improve coordination among relevant stakeholders. Additionally, the session addressed organisational arrangements and proposed topics for leadership and stakeholder dialogues during the assembly, aimed at fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange. The draft communication strategy for the session was also reviewed, which seeks to highlight the assembly's themes and raise awareness of environmental issues. On the sidelines of the meeting, a virtual dialogue session was held with representatives of major groups and stakeholders to gather their input on ongoing preparations, ensuring inclusive and representative decisions that reflect civil society perspectives. This meeting marks a significant step towards strengthening international cooperation to address environmental challenges and ensuring the success of UNEA-7. The session was attended by several ministers, ambassadors, members of the assembly's Bureau, the Bureau of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the UN Environment Programme, and Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the Programme. - ONA
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
How your plastic bottle fuels climate change - and what the UN plans to do about it
New Delhi: The United Nations Environment Assembly's (UNEA) Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) is heading into its sixth and final round of talks in August 2025 to finalise an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) to curb plastic pollution . This instrument, born out of UNEA's Resolution 5/14 in 2022, is expected to regulate the entire life cycle of plastic—from production of raw materials (monomers and polymers) to disposal. A recent briefing note and press release by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis ( IEEFA ), warns that without enforceable trade measures covering plastic raw materials, the global treaty risks being ineffective. What the data shows: Plastics are a global trade problem According to the IEEFA report, a staggering 436.66 million tonnes of polymers and plastics, including feedstocks, were traded globally in 2022. In the same year, final plastic products worth 111 million tonnes were also traded. The sector is highly globalised, with countries like South Korea, the US, and Saudi Arabia leading the trade in raw plastic materials such as ethylene, propylene, and styrene. IEEFA researchers point out that trade in polymers and monomers—especially those that produce single-use plastics (SUPs)—must be regulated at the international level. They argue that focusing solely on final plastic products and ignoring the trade of their raw materials will lead to emissions leakage and allow countries to bypass treaty obligations. Why trade rules matter: Upstream emissions and global carbon budget The production of plastics is heavily fossil fuel dependent. As much as 99 per cent of plastics are derived from fossil fuels. Plastic production generates 2.24 gigatonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions annually—four times more than global aviation, according to estimates cited by IEEFA. The carbon embedded in exported low-density and high-density polyethylene from the top five producer countries alone accounts for more than 100 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually. The US leads with over 35 million tonnes, followed by Saudi Arabia at around 37 million tonnes. IEEFA warns that if trade in these polymers is left unregulated, countries may continue exporting plastic raw materials without accounting for the emissions, undermining their Paris Agreement goals. What the experts say 'Our research shows that petrostates lead trade in ethylene polymers—one of the largest categories of polymers contributing to the production of single-use plastics,' said Swathi Seshadri, petrochemicals specialist at IEEFA and co-author of the briefing note. 'A global regulation of plastic pollution without trade measures will only end up circumventing the problem without addressing it,' she added. Abhishek Sinha, IEEFA's energy finance analyst and co-author, said: 'An assessment of the existing laws to regulate plastic pollution demonstrates an inadequate legal framework to phase out primary plastic polymers.' Connor Chung, another co-author, emphasised: 'If parties manage to secure rigorous trade enforcement provisions, they will drive decarbonization in the process.' India, Iran, Russia oppose trade provisions A small group of countries—including India, Iran, and Russia—opposed the inclusion of trade measures in the treaty draft released in December 2024, citing concerns over conflicts with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and economic dependence on polymer trade. IEEFA counters that WTO provisions do not restrict member states from adopting environmental policies, provided they are not discriminatory or protectionist. In fact, WTO's own Dialogue on Plastic Pollution (DOPP) has recommended measures to reduce harmful and unnecessary plastics. Why polymer trade is the core of the problem Single-use plastics, often made from ethylene, propylene and their derivatives, are at the heart of the plastic pollution crisis. These include packaging materials, plastic bottles, textiles and disposable consumer goods. In Asia, packaging accounts for 60 per cent of polyethylene (PE) consumption and 48 per cent of polypropylene (PP) demand in 2024. China and other Asian nations accounted for 52 per cent of global plastics production in 2023. The US and Saudi Arabia remain dominant exporters due to abundant fossil fuel reserves. Countries like Belgium, Germany and Singapore act as re-processing or trans-shipment hubs. Call for action: Treaty must include trade measures IEEFA recommends that the proposed treaty must establish global and national targets for both production and consumption of primary plastic polymers. It also calls for including trade measures to prevent treaty circumvention and emissions leakage. 'The inclusion of trade provisions makes sense on economic grounds alone, given the interconnected nature of globalized trade,' the report states. 'But a climate rationale also exists, for the simple reason that the plastic supply chain is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions .'
Observer
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Oman highlights oceans role as carbon sinks
NICE: At the behest of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Dr Abdullah bin Ali al Amri, Chairman of the Environment Authority, is taking part in the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) held in Nice, France. In Oman's speech, Dr Al Amri highlighted the Sultanate of Oman's pioneering efforts in preserving marine environments, protecting oceans and safeguarding marine biodiversity in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He noted that Oman was among the first countries to prioritise environmental protection, having issued 'the first legislation to protect marine environments from pollution" 53 years ago. The country has also established 'marine protected areas" spanning over 90,000 square kilometres to protect endangered species such as humpback whales and sea turtles. Additionally, Oman has banned all types of plastic shopping bags and set 2050 as its target year for achieving net-zero emissions. He pointed out that Oman launched the 'Oman Blue Carbon Project" to plant 100 million mangrove trees, aimed at carbon sequestration and protecting coastal ecosystems. These efforts have earned Oman high rankings in global environmental assessments. Furthermore, Oman was elected President of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) for its seventh session. He reaffirmed Oman's commitment to supporting "SDG 14", which focuses on conserving oceans and marine resources, including backing the 'Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement." Dr Al Amri also emphasised the need to remind the international community of the oceans' critical role as 'a major carbon sink," stressing Oman's dedication to supporting global efforts to maintain ocean health and sustain marine biodiversity. The conference's agenda included an opening session where Oman presented its national statement, outlining its stance on global marine issues while reaffirming support for SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and the Nice Action Plan. The five-day conference features 10 parallel high-level sessions (Ocean Action Panels) addressing various topics, including marine and coastal ecosystems, marine science and capacity-building, ocean financing and climate action. The event also includes exhibitions, side events, and cultural, educational, economic and scientific activities. The third UN Ocean Conference, running until June 13, aims to accelerate global action to protect oceans and achieve SDG 14 (Life Below Water). — ONA
