and on behalf of the plastic solutions fund would like … · which plastic, and particularly...
TRANSCRIPT
GoodMorningExcellencies,LadiesandGentlemen
Iamhonoredtoparticipateonthispanelthismorning
AndonbehalfofthePlasticSolutionsFundwouldliketothanktheEuropeanUnionandtheGovernmentofMaltaforthisopportunitytoannounceourintentiontoraiseEURO12.6million($15million)overthenextthreeyearstocombattheproblemofsingleuseandotherdisposableplasticpackaging.
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ThePlasticSolutionsFundwasestablishedearlierthisyeartosupportnon-profitorganizations,particularlyinAsia,theEuropeanUnionandtheUnitedStates,thatwanttotransformplasticspackagingsupplychains,reducingnotonlytheamountofthisplasticthatenterstheenvironment,buttheamountthatismanufacturedinthefirstplace.
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Weareallofcoursefamiliarwithgraphslikethisonethatdemonstratetheextenttowhichplastic,andparticularlyplasticpackagingwasteisimpactingourOceans.
Thewordlitterhowever,asincludedonthisslide,tendstomakeusthinkofplasticastrashthatthatcansimplybepluckedoutoftheocean– ourmindimmediatelygoesimagesofthetrashgyres– butmacroplastic isonlythetipoftheiceberg–microplastic formedbythemechanicalbreakdownofmacroplastic– what5GyresCo-FounderMarcusEriksoncallsthe‘smogofthesea’isamuchmoreintractableproblem.
Andwearequiteliterally,asHRHthePrinceofWalessaid,eatingplasticasaresult…
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ButPlasticsarenotonlyanoceansproblem.Theyarealsoaclimateproblem– withpetrochemicalsforplasticsproductionsettodrivecrudeoilsalesfordecades–accordingtotheInternationalEnergyAgencytheywillaccountfor44%ofcrudeoildemandgrowthbetween2015and2040.
InthewakeoftheParisAgreement’scommitmenttokeepingglobaltemperatureriseaswellbelow2degreesit’simportantthatpetroleumproductionforallendusesisdrawndown.
Furthermore,itisimperativethatwedestroythemyththatplasticissomehowanetcarbonsink,withtheUSEPAstudiesshowingthat“wastetoenergy”incineratorsandlandfillscontributefarhigherlevelsofgreenhousegasemissionsandoverallenergythroughouttheirlifecyclesthansourcereduction,reuseandrecyclingofthesamematerials.
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ItisforthisreasonthatthePlasticSolutionsFundisfocusingontheupstreamdriversofplasticpollution.Althoughthewasteisendingupintheocean,theproblemiscomingfrom,andneedstobesolvedonland.Astheysay,anounceofpreventionsayisworthapoundofcure.
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Forthisreason,wearesupportingcitiesandcommunitiesin16highimpactsitesacrossAsiatoestablishzerowasteprogramsthatwillhelppreventmorethan868thousandtonsofwaste,includingmorethan173thousandtonsofplastic,frombeingreleasedintotheenvironment.
AswellasprovidingmodelsoffinancialandenvironmentalbenefitstoothercitiesacrossAsia.
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WearesupportingorganizationsandcommunitiesinEuropetoencouragetheEuropeanCommissiontobearealleaderonthisissueandsetambitiousgoalsinit’sCircularEconomyDirectivetoreducetheproductionanduseofsingleuseplastic.
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Wearesupportingcommunitiesaroundtheworldtoauditnotonlythetypeofplasticendingupontheirbeaches,butwhoproducesitandtostartadialoguewiththemanycompaniesaroundtheworldwho’sproductsarepollutingtheocean.
AsVirginie (previousspeakerP&G)said,nowisthetimeforcompaniestoworkwiththeirdesignersandengineersandmarketersoninnovationandre-design.Butitneedstogobeyondrecyclingornewmaterials;companiesneedtoinnovatethewaytheydelivertheirproductsoverall.
Andweknowtheycandoitbecausethey’vedoneitbefore.ThoseofuswholiveorworkinAsiaknowthatmultilayersachetsarearelativelynewthing– andarearesultofcompaniesdecidingtodelivertheirproductsinatotallynewmanner– thetimehascomeforthemtodothatagain.
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Andperhapsmostimportantlywearesupporting1000sofpeopleandcommunitiesfromaroundtheworldwhobelieveinaworldfreeofplasticpollutiontojointogethertoachieveourcommonvisionofsocialandenvironmentaljustice.
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Inourfirsteightmonthsofoperationwehavemadegrantstotalingnearly2.3millionEurotomorethan30organizationsaroundtheworld.Andwithatotalof9mEurooverthreeyearsalreadycommittedfromourfoundingpartnerorganizations,wearelookingforwardtoatleasttriplingthatinvestmentinthenexttwoyears.
Inconclusion…
Untilrecentlywehaveinrealityusedtheoceansastheultimatetrashcan.Butaswe’velearnedtoourcostwithcarbondioxide,andasweareincreasinglyunderstandingwithplastic,thereisnoaway.
And assomeonewhogrewupwiththe3-Rs,I’mproudtobeplayingaroleinmakingthefirstR– Reduction– whichafterallisintendedtobethelargestpartoftheequation- areality.
Thetimehascome– asEmilyPennsoeloquentlyarticulated(inherspeechearlier)to‘turnoffthetap’.
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