Pushing Back Against Corporate Capture at #INC4

Pushing Back Against Corporate Capture at #INC4

Author: Anja Krieger April 29, 2024 Duration: 59:08
It's Monday, April 29, 2024, and the INC4, the fourth round of negotiations for the plastics treaty, is in the final hours. Negotiators of countries from around the world are sitting in conference rooms in Ottawa, Canada, debating how to end plastic pollution. Around them, the presence of the fossil and chemical industries has grown significantly. Compared to the last meeting in Nairobi 37 percent more lobbyists are attending. The effort to quantify this lobby presence was led by CIEL, the Center for International Environmental Law. In a press conference that Plastisphere is sharing with this episode, the NGO brought together speakers from Greenpeace, the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty, and the Indigenous Peoples Caucus. It’s a very impressive hour. For context, one of the First Nations in Canada just had to declare a state of emergency: A plastics plant in their vicinity had released chemicals into their environment. This is just one of the incidents that points to the burden frontline communities living close to production and disposal facilities are carrying around the world. So environmental justice is a huge issue when it comes to plastic pollution. Hear more from the panel: - Delphine Levi Alvares, Global Petrochemical Campaign Coordinator at CIEL - Laura Salgado, Head of Campaign and Partnership at GGTC - Graham Forbes, Head of Delegation, Greenpeace International - Yuyun Ismawati, Convenor of the Indonesian Zero Waste Alliance (AZWI) - Suzanne Smoke, Indigenous Knowledge Keeper from the Indigenous Peoples Caucus - Bethanie Carney-Almroth, professor in ecotoxicology at Gothenburg University and Member of the Scientists’ Coalition For An Effective Plastic Treaty CIEL's analysis of lobby attendance at INC4 was carried out in collaboration with Greenpeace, the Break Free From Plastic movement, the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), and the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC). Here's the link: https://www.ciel.org/news/fossil-fuel-and-chemical-industry-influence-inc4/

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
Similar to how food products contain a list of ingredients, we need to know which chemicals plastic products contain. This is not an easy task, but it would be a huge step if producers lifted the secret around the chemic…
#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,…