Outcomes of INC-2 and solutions to address plastic pollution in agriculture, Second FAO briefing on the role of plastics in agriculture
Hybrid Event, 03/10/2023
©FAO/Cristina Aldehuela
Tuesday 3 October 2023, 9:30 – 10:45 EDT / 15:30 - 16:45 CEST
Joint Briefing by the Liaison office of Geneva (LOG), Liaison office of New York (LON) and Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and the Environment (OCB)
Background
Plastics play a crucial role in agriculture, with an annual consumption of 12.5 million tonnes spanning crop and livestock farming, forestry, fisheries, and aquaculture (FAO, 2021). While these plastic products offer advantages such as increased crop yields and enhanced labor and production efficiency, their use comes with significant trade-offs, including environment and soil pollution, decrease crop yields, and generation of microplastics which can accumulate in the food chain.
In March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted the Resolution 5/14 “End plastic pollution: towards an internationally legally binding instrument”, with the aim of ending plastic pollution, protecting human health and environment from its adverse effects, and improving the sustainability of plastics production and consumption throughout its life cycle.
Solutions to improve the circularity and sound management of agricultural plastics should be based on the 6R model - Refuse, Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover. Alternatives and interventions could include adopting agricultural practices that avoid the use of plastic, replacing plastics with biobased or biodegradable alternatives, and improving waste management practices. These solutions need to be part of the overall transformation of agrifood systems to be more sustainable and resilient.
The Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-2) took place from 29 May to 2 June 2023 at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. Delegates discussed measures to address plastic pollution, ranging from strong controls for the upstream part of the lifecycle of plastics, as well as midstream and downstream measures such as product design for circularity and waste management. The third session (INC-3) will be held in November 2023 at the UN Environment Programme Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
Event description
Following the first briefing organized by LOG and OCB titled “FAO and INC-2: the role of plastics used in agriculture”, LOG, LON and OCB are organizing a second briefing to give an update to Member States on the outcomes of INC-2, the zero draft of the Treaty prepared by the INC Chair, and their implications for the agriculture sector. The briefing will also explore concrete solutions to address plastics use and waste in agriculture through country examples and best practices.
Proposed Agenda
Duration | Programme | Speaker | Modality |
5 min | Moderator: Mr Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in Geneva |
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3 min | Welcome
| Mr Guangzhou QU, Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York | In person, New York
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5 min | Setting the scene Data on global plastics and role of UN System in fighting plastic pollution, including INC Process. | Mr Jamil Ahmad, Director, Intergovernmental Affairs, UNEP New York | In person or virtual, New York |
3 min | A Member State’s perspective – Remarks by Norway on the plastics treaty | Ms Jannicke Graatrud, Deputy Permanent Representative, Norway | In person, Geneva |
7 min | Agricultural Plastics and INC-2 FAO at INC-2, outcomes of the negotiations and their implications on agriculture, preparations for INC-3 | Mr Lev Neretin, Environment Workstream Lead, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB), FAO | Virtual |
5 min | The role of bioeconomy and circular economy to address plastic pollution | Ms Alicja Kacprzak, FAO-UNECE | In-person, Geneva |
5 min | Case study of INPEV Brazil – Brazilian reverse logistics program for used agrichemical containers | Ms Marilene Ilamauti, Sustainability Leader, INPEV Brazil | Remotely |
5 min | Case study of Mauritius – life cycle approaches to tackling plastic pollution, including Nature-based Solutions | Ms Karuna Rana, Co-Founder of the SIDS Youth Aims Hub | Remotely |
5 min | The role of youth in the meetings of the INC | Ms Santhiya Ananth, Children & Youth Major Group to UNEP | Remotely |
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5 min | Wrap up and closing remarks | Mr Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in Geneva | In person, Geneva |