Seven Clean Seas, a British-founded environmental organization, whose mission is to remove 10 million kilograms of plastic pollution from the ocean by 2025, has raised major concerns following the conclusion of the recent INC-3 meeting with fossil fuel and petrol chemical lobbyists outnumbering the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty participants by almost 4:1.
The third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) aimed at developing an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, concluded on November 19, 2023. The talks, held at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, brought together representatives from member states to address the critical issue of plastic pollution.
43 fossil fuel and petrol chemical lobbyists were registered to INC-3, far larger than the 38 Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty participants, outnumbering the 64 representatives from the Pacific Small Island Developing States; and surpassing the 70 smallest Member States delegations at the negotiations.
For Seven Clean Seas, this raises critical issues around the handling of the ongoing global Plastic Pollution crisis by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the integrity of the entire process.
Tom, Peacock-Nazil, Founder of Seven Clean Seas commented: “The fossil fuel industry has always depended on plastic to keep them afloat. With the presence of fossil fuel and petrochemical lobbyists at INC-3, far outnumbering the scientists and representatives from vulnerable states, questions have to be asked about the integrity of the UN process.”
As champions of corporate disclosure, Seven Clean Seas has also been working with industry players, including the PREVENT Waste Alliance and the Plastic Footprint Network, to develop corporate plastic stewardship programs around plastic footprints and plastic credits. Seven Clean Seas has spearheaded a working group within the Plastic Footprint Network, comprising esteemed partners such as Ampliphi, Anthesis, ClimeCo, Earth Action, EvalueServe, Plastic Credit Exchange, rePurpose, and South Pole. Together, they have developed a comprehensive three-scope system that mirrors the proven Greenhouse Gas Protocol scoping model but is tailored to corporate plastic footprinting.
Tom Peacock-Nazil also commented “Ahead of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) meeting on the 21st - 30th of April 2024 in Ottawa, Canada, we see full corporate disclosure as a fair and critical component in the development of an internationally legally binding instrument to combat plastic pollution.”