Plastic Money - Turning Off the Subsidies Tap

Plastic Money - Turning Off the Subsidies Tap

Author: Anja Krieger April 20, 2024 Duration: 15:17
In March 2024, negotiators and experts came together in Bellagio, Italy, for an exclusive meeting to discuss an essential topic: Plastic money. And we’re not talking about credit cards here, but the actual money we people around the world are paying for the production of plastics through our governments’ subsidies. Ronald Steenblik was the one who made me aware of this issue. He’s worked on subsidies to fossil fuels for over 30 years, and was the Special Counsellor for Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform at the OECD - the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Today, Ron works with the Quaker United Nations Office QUNO. Together with his colleagues and other plastic experts, he organized the meeting in Bellagio to shine a light on the issue of plastic subsidies. This meeting was co-organized and supported by CIEL, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), and The Rockefeller Foundation. I met with Ron and his colleague Andrés Naranjo, and they brought along Alexandra Harrington from Lancaster University Law School. She also chairs the Plastic Pollution Task Force of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law. Learn more from them about plastic subsidies in this episode! Transcript: https://anjakrieger.com/plastisphere/2024/04/19/plastic-subsidies-transcript/ Links: - Briefing by CIEL on plastic subsidies: https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Tackling-Subsidies-for-Plastic-Production_FINAL.pdf - Report by QUNO on the Bellagio convening: https://quno.org/timeline/2024/4/quno-hosts-meeting-minds-plastic-pollution-bellagio

Anja Krieger hosts Plastisphere: A podcast on plastic pollution in the environment, a series that digs into the complex story of synthetic polymers. This isn't just a catalog of environmental damage, though that reality is confronted directly. Instead, the podcast carefully examines how these materials, foundational to contemporary life, now permeate every corner of the natural world and our own bodies. Anja guides listeners through a nuanced exploration, asking whether a sustainable coexistence is even possible. She doesn't provide easy answers but facilitates necessary conversations, bringing together researchers, activists, industry insiders, and communities on the front lines. Each episode is built on specific stories and scientific insights, moving from the deep ocean to human bloodstreams to policy halls. You'll hear about the chemistry of plastics, their journey as waste, and the cultural and economic systems that perpetuate their use. The strength of this podcast lies in its commitment to presenting a genuine spectrum of perspectives, avoiding simple blame in favor of understanding a truly global dilemma. It’s a thoughtful, sometimes surprising, and always human-centered look at one of the most defining material challenges of our time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Plastisphere: A podcast on plastic pollution in the environment
Podcast Episodes
#PlasticsTreaty Shorts: Unknown chemicals with Walter Waldman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:48
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#PlasticsTreaty Shorts: Consumption Reduction with Kristian Syberg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:10
Recycling is often seen as a golden standard for minimizing plastic pollution. And while recycling definitely does play a role in the future, it should not be the first priority. Kristian Syberg, an associate professor a…
#PlasticsTreaty Shorts: Three Principles with Chris Dixon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:34
The global plastics treaty is currently being drafted by the global community - an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. One of the experts attending the meet…
What Day is Plastic Overshoot? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:29
The global plastics treaty is in the making, and the discussions around solutions to plastic pollution are gaining traction. To give you more food for thought, Anja tries out a new format, the Plastisphere Conversations…
Science over Profit - Demands for the Plastic Treaty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:57
On March 2, 2022, countries from around the world agreed to establish a global treaty to end plastic pollution. After the first meetings in Senegal and Uruguay, the discussions around the treaty are in full swing. Next,…