Outcomes of INC-2 and solutions to address plastic pollution in agriculture
Geneva, New York, Rome – In light of the upcoming third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-3), the FAO Liaison Offices in Geneva (LOG) and New York (LON), together with the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB), organized a second hybrid briefing on the role of plastics in agriculture. The briefing was intended for permanent missions and other stakeholders collaborating with FAO on this issue aimed at highlighting the importance of agriculture, food safety and food security in the discussions surrounding the new legally binding instrument on plastic pollution that the INC is set to develop by 2024.
UN Agencies’ efforts to combat plastic pollution
Guangzhou Qu, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in New York, delivered opening remarks highlighting FAO’s commitment to addressing the critical issues associated with plastic pollution and its impact on global food systems and the environment. To set the scene, Jamil Ahmad, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in New York, shared insights on UNEP’s efforts to combat plastic pollution and underscored the importance of strengthening global cooperation and coordination to take immediate action towards long-term elimination of plastic pollution in marine and other environments.
Lev Neretin, Environment Team Lead at the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, gave a presentation on the current state of plastic use in agriculture, benefits and trade-offs associated with plastic products, and their impacts on the environment, food safety and food security. He also shared examples on how to improve the sustainable use of plastics in agriculture, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes and promotion of alternative agricultural practices the reduce the dependence on plastics. Neretin further referred to the outcomes of the session of the FAO Council in 2022, which included recommendations for FAO to support the deliberations of the INC in developing an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, and a Voluntary Code of Conduct for the sustainable use of plastics in agriculture.
Alicja Kacprzak, from the Joint UN Economic Commission for Europe and FAO Forestry and Timber Section, spoke about the role of bioeconomy and circular economy in tackling plastic pollution. She emphasized that biobased materials and a more circular use of containers, as well as increased collection and recycling can offer promising alternatives to decrease or eliminate plastic use. In addition, she highlighted that nature-based solutions offer multiple environmental benefits, such as carbon sequestration, increased soil health and habitat provision for pollinators, which can help to deliver the objectives of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration.
Perspectives from Member States
The dialogue also provided a platform for Member States such as Norway and Samoa to share their initiatives and ambitious plans to end plastic pollution. Jannicke Graatrud, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Norway in Geneva, spoke about the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution by 2040, co-chaired by Norway and Rwanda. She shared key messages from the report “Towards Ending Plastic Pollution by 2040”, including the necessary scale and cost needed to achieve this ambitious goal. Norway also called for sectoral programmes to develop science-based strategies for addressing plastic pollution in agriculture.
Furthermore, Anama Solofa, Adviser at the Permanent Mission of Samoa to the UN in New York and Lead Negotiator on Oceans from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), shared outcomes from the meeting of the Friends of the Action Agenda, launched by Samoa and the United States at INC-2, with a view to enhance stakeholder engagement and support the future implementation of the plastics treaty. Bryce Rudyk, Legal Advisor to the Chair of AOSIS, highlighted that the Friends of the Action Agenda aims to increase ambition in the instrument negotiations and enhance near-term action, including at the sectoral level.
Solutions at the national and local levels
Practical examples from Brazil, Mauritius, and India demonstrated that sustainable, biodegradable alternatives and circular economy approaches can pave the way for a greener and more eco-friendly future. Marilene Ilamauti, Sustainability Leader at the National Institute for Processing Empty Packages (inpEV) Brazil, presented the Campo Limpo System, a Brazilian reverse logistics programme for empty crop protection packaging. She explained how this multistakeholder system recycles plastics used by farmers to create new packaging, based on the concept of circular economy.
Another case study was presented by Karuna Rana, Co-Founder of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Youth Aims Hub, who spoke about Mauritius and the SIDS context. She highlighted the work of the Hub, including training small scale local farmers on agricultural practices, and stressed the need for standards and better biodegradable alternatives to plastics to reduce impacts on land and aquatic ecosystems in Mauritius.
Santhiya Ananth, a representative of the Children and Youth Major Group (CYMG) to the UNEP, discussed the issue of plastics use in India, such as plastic mulching subsidies, and emphasized the role of youth in the INC process. She also talked about the Global Youth Coalition on Plastic Pollution (GYCPP), which focuses on the human rights perspective related to plastics pollution and health.
A key theme that emerged from the diverse perspectives of the speakers is the need for solutions to plastic pollution in agrifood value chains to be cross-sectoral, inclusive, based on principles of circularity and an integral part of the overall transformation of agrifood systems. As we approach INC-3, a shared vision among stakeholders and strong commitments will be needed to realise a more sustainable and plastic-free future for our agricultural and environmental systems. In closing, it was noted that FAO stands committed to support Members with technical assistance for the negotiations at INC-3, and as requested by Members, to develop a Voluntary Code of Conduct on the sustainable use of plastics in agriculture.