The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO), in collaboration with Eunomia Research & Consulting Ltd., is pleased to announce the release of the Summary Report for Phase 2 of the initiative titled Plastic Money: Turning Off the Subsidies Tap. This report is being released ahead of the Fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) on Plastic Pollution, which begins on 25 November 2024, in Busan, Republic of Korea. This release marks another milestone in our ongoing efforts to provide greater clarity on the nature and extent of subsidies in the production of primary plastic polymers (PPPs) and seeks to serve as a resource for negotiators and stakeholders as they deliberate measures to develop an international legally binding instrument to address plastic pollution.

Important figures from Phase 2:

• Global subsidies for PPP production: The study estimates total subsidies to polymer production at USD 45 billion in 2024, projected to rise to USD 78 billion by 2050 under a baseline scenario. These subsidies disproportionately benefit major producers, with Saudi Arabia alone accounting for USD 38 billion in 2024.
• Production volumes: In 2024, global production of commodity polymers is expected to reach 306 million tonnes, rising to 590 million tonnes by 2050 under a business-as-usual scenario. China is currently the largest producer of PPPs, accounting for 103 million tonnes in 2024, followed by the United States with 40 million tonnes.
• Impact of removing subsidies: A full removal of PPP subsidies would result in significant reductions in production volumes, particularly in high-subsidy economies like Saudi Arabia (a projected reduction of 2.4 million tonnes in 2024). Despite these reductions, the impact on consumer product prices would remain minimal, with an average price increase of less than 1% for most plastic-containing products.
• Broader context of subsidies: When combined with other environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS), such as those for fossil fuels, agriculture, and transport, the PPP subsidies contribute to a staggering global total of USD 2.7 trillion annually in EHS, highlighting the scale of economic distortions driving environmental degradation.

The full Phase 2 report, containing comprehensive data and analyses, will be released during the week of November 25th to coincide with INC-5. It will include detailed modelling of subsidy removal scenarios along with a complete methodology.

Supported by Dalberg Catalyst and The Rockefeller Foundation, this initiative continues to be a vital resource for policymakers, civil society organizations, and intergovernmental bodies seeking to advance systemic solutions to the global plastic crisis.

We invite all stakeholders to access the summary report and join the dialogue during INC-5 to explore actionable pathways toward a robust and ambitious global treaty. Stay tuned for more updates and announcements during INC-5.

Authored by Dr. Alexandra Harrington, the report provides a critical examination of the intersection between international trade law and the proposed global treaty to end plastic pollution (ILBI), currently under negotiation.

This analysis addresses key concerns raised in the ILBI negotiations regarding potential conflicts with existing World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements. It delves into the legal complexities surrounding subsidies, import and export licensing, and compliance provisions as outlined in the ILBI’s draft text, known as the Compilation Document. The analysis emphasizes that the ILBI’s proposals to limit, phase out, or ban subsidies related to plastic production would not conflict with WTO agreements, nor would its import or export provisions, labelling, and product design measures.

This work fills an important gap in the ongoing Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) discussions by highlighting areas of potential convergence between the ILBI and the WTO's trade frameworks. It also draws parallels with the successful coexistence of other multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), such as the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, within the WTO system.

The analysis serves as a timely resource for INC delegates, policymakers, and stakeholders engaged in shaping the global treaty to address plastic pollution. It offers a path forward for harmonizing environmental objectives with global trade commitments, and will inform discussions at the upcoming INC-5 negotiations in Busan, Republic of Korea.

This initiative is supported by Dalberg Catalyst through grant funding from The Rockefeller Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of The Rockefeller Foundation or Dalberg Catalyst.

The Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in Geneva published an updated version ‘A Government Official’s Toolkit: Inspiring Urgent, Healthy, and Equitable Climate Action,’ which is available in English, Arabic, French, and Spanish. This publication is aimed at enhancing understanding and communication of climate change.

‘A Government Official’s Toolkit: Inspiring Urgent, Real, and Equitable Climate Action’ has been updated with the most recent scientific findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report (AR6). This report was compiled for just over seven years and involved hundreds of scientists worldwide.

The IPCC informs governments on what is happening, why, and what people can do to avert catastrophic climate change. 

QUNO’s updated ‘A Government Official’s Toolkit’ aims to empower policymakers and climate advocates with the latest IPCC findings on root causes and urgent, feasible, and near-term options that are already available at scale to address climate change and improve well-being and planetary health. QUNO believes that everyone should have easy access to the science presented to our governments.

This publication is accessible online and via a print-at-home version, which can be used for personal distribution and campaigning.

This updated paper lays out the ways in which conscientious objection has been recognized and is protected under human rights treaties and mechanisms, taking into account developments in international standards that have occurred since the 2021 edition. These strengthened standards can be used by front line organizations as a tool to limit suffering, improve lives and challenge root causes of injustice.

QUNO Geneva's Peace & Disarmament program works to highlight and reinforce the inextricable link between human rights and peace and to ensure that they are seen as mutually reinforcing throughout the UN's work at the policy and practice level, reaching out o a diverse range of stakeholders and in doing so to promote just, peaceful, and inclusive societies. Read more about our most recent activities and work on this in the booklet!

QUNO’s Human Impact of Climate Change programme, speaking on behalf of the Friends World Committee for Consultation, participated in the 60th Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in Istanbul, Turkey. 

At this session, the panel was tasked with crucial decisions on IPCC’s finances and its work for the 7th Assessment Cycle. QUNO submitted three interventions: advocating for the need to focus on the transformation of root causes rather than feeding unhealthy reliance on fossil fuels through research on geo-engineering; for research that upholds the rights and knowledge of Indigenous peoples; and the inclusion of military emissions in IPCC modeling and greenhouse gas emissions reporting. 

QUNO’s specific interventions and a debrief analysis on the negotiations and results of the 60th Session are available for download.

QUNO's Human Impacts of Climate Change Programme attended the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai in November and December 2023. At COP28, the main challenges included delivery of an urgent, equitable and science based Global Stocktake, strengthening on just transition and mitigation efforts, and appropriate financing for adaptation and loss and damage. Details of our advocacy efforts can be found here. 

QUNO's Representative on Climate Change Lindsey Fielder Cook provides an analysis on COP28, highlighting how while COP28 broke certain silences around fossil fuels and blocked efforts to pass carbon trading frameworks, COP28 had its disappointments as climate finance and greenhouse gas emission reductions remain far below the historical and ethical responsibility of developed countries. The article originally published in The Friend is attached as well as two blog posts for Quakers in Britain.

QUNO, on behalf of the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), offered this submission in response to a call for input the Article 6.4 Supervisory Board on how to meaningfully engage with Indigenous peoples and local communities. This submission calls for the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body to ground meangingful engagement with Indigenous peoples and local communities in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR6 Summary findings, approved by States in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

The Article 6.4 Supervisory Body is tasked with supervising and operationalizing the carbon crediting mechanism that was established by Article 6.4 of the UN Paris Agreement, a legally binding international treaty on climate change which encourages global action to help humanity and nature avert catastrophic temperature rise due to human activities. 

FWCC is an accredited observer of both the UNFCCC and IPCC, as well as an expert reviewer of IPCC Reports. In addition to FWCC expertise, the submission collated findings directly referenced from the IPCC AR6 Reports. We hope that this collation will help guide the Supervisory Board to ground its work in the best available scientific research, strengthening efforts to establish meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. This is critical to avert exacerbating existing structural inequities, especially when considering land-based carbon credits in areas of Indigenous land tenure or where land tenure is insecure. This submission highlights IPCC findings that not only emphasize the risks associated with failing to engage meaningfully with Indigenous Peoples and local communities but also offer approaches to minimize such risks through monitoring and reporting; capacity-building; or incorporating Indigenous knowledges and human rights-based approaches

Against the backdrop of Asia’s struggle with burgeoning plastic waste, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) has published a new report that delves into the complex challenges and potential strategies for addressing this problem in the region.

QUNO’s report, ‘Trade and Plastics — Fostering Sustainable Development in South East Asia’, was issued by its Sustainable and Just Economic Systems programme this month (November).

It focuses on plastic pollution in Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam and highlights the pressing need for systemic changes. 

The report highlights the growing environmental threats and economic losses due to mismanaged waste. It also exposes the intricate interplay between trade policies and sustainable waste management practices.

This critical study, conducted by experts from the University of Cambridge, transcends traditional discussions on plastic waste management. 

It underscores the urgent need to align strategies with the waste management hierarchy—emphasising reduction, reuse, and recycling—to combat the escalating crisis of plastic pollution and its socio-economic ramifications.

This study is an essential call to action, urging the implementation of comprehensive policies that integrate waste hierarchy principles. 

It challenges the current linear economic model, stressing the importance of reducing plastic production, minimising single-use plastics, and promoting sustainable alternatives. 

Its authors navigate the complexities of transitioning towards more sustainable practices, particularly emphasising the pivotal role of trade as a lever for ecological and social reform.

The report enriches broader understanding of the multifaceted nature of plastic pollution and fortifies QUNO’s advocacy for environmentally sound and equitable economic systems. It is a testament to the power of informed, cohesive action in the face of a global environmental challenge.