Cities Leading the Way Combatting Plastic Pollution for a Sustainable and Circular Future

Our planet is choking on plastics. The problem of plastic pollution is particularly acute in urban areas, where high population densities and concentrated economic activity generate significant amounts of consumption and waste. Municipal solid waste streams generate 75% of the total plastic waste production, much of which ends up in landfills, waterways, and the ocean, thus significantly contributing to land, coastal and marine pollution, biodiversity loss, and costs to human health. This majorly hinders the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. Yet, there is potential to slash plastic pollution by 80 per cent by 2040. This ambitious target relies on major policy changes and the deployment of existing technologies used to produce, use, and dispose of plastics, including at the city level.

The World Economic Forum, WWF, Upstream, and Ellen Macarthur Foundation have called for an ambitious transformation of consumption systems that enable reuse of plastics at scale. This ambition was reemphasized by global mayors and experts who reported that prevention and reuse at the urban scale have often been overlooked when it comes to resolving the plastics crisis. Cities are a crucial part of the solution, as local governments are often responsible for the collection, transportation and processing of waste. However, cities cannot address this challenge alone: we need a full lifecycle approach, and the involvement and support of all public and private stakeholders.

Recognizing the positive global impact of a circular economy for plastic and the need for common guidelines to end the plastic pollution crisis, the UN Environment Assembly adopted in March 2022 a landmark resolution titled, “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument”. An Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) was set up and met for the first time in December 2022. The fourth session of the INC will be held in Ottawa, Canada, from 23 to 29 April 2024.
To mark this occasion and contribute in the aftermath of this important process, this event will enable exchanges between practitioners, cities, and experts globally who are committed to fight plastic pollution for 90 minutes to highlight urban solutions to minimize the impact of plastics on our ecosystems. The first part of the session will set the scene and outline the outcomes of INC-4 and the engagement of local governments in the plastics treaty (25 mins). A 45-minute panel discussion on how cities can combat plastic pollution through circular approaches will follow, featuring local and national government representatives, and partners who will share their experiences and recommendations. This will be followed by a 10-minute Q&A with the audience and 10-minute wrap up and closing.