UN Plastics Treaty - and our part in this global initiative

A Rocha hosted an Eco Church Kōrero about plastic waste with a focus on the UN Global Plastic Treaty in Nov 2022. The kōrero also included discussion on ways our faith communities can be part of this global initiative.

The kōrero featured guest speaker Dr Trisia Farrelly from the Aotearoa Plastic Pollution Alliance (APPA). Trisia is an environmental anthropologist and political ecologist at Massey University. She is also a plastic pollution activist and campaigner focusing on national and international governance to reduce virgin plastics/fossil fuels in plastic production and to regulate toxicants in plastics production.

Some of the questions explored in this kōrero with Dr Trisia Farrelly include:

• What is the UN Plastics Treaty? Why is it necessary? What is its goals?

• How is NZ involved?

• What are other NZ initiatives for reducing plastic?

• How can we as faith communities contribute to the work that is being done?

• What are a couple of tough issues in this work?

One of the memorable quotes from Trisia during the kōrero was:

“Be vocal to those who have the most power to make the most change”.

Tricia also said that there is nothing circular or regenerative about plastics and that respectful conversation about the problems with them (one-use designed plastics in particular) is one strategy to show support for the treaty.

Listen to the recording of this kōrero with Dr Trisia Farrelly here:

About the UN Plastics Treaty:

• Ministry for the Environment’s Towards a global agreement to combat plastic pollution

• A binding global agreement to address the life cycle of plastics

• Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution

• NZ Cabinet paper which provides the mandate for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting (INC1) for the UN Plastics Treaty. Includes a high-level summary of the feedback received from targeted stakeholders.

Plastics and the Pacific:

Despite not being producers of plastics, and contributing as little as 1.3 per cent to global plastics pollution, the Pacific region is on the frontline of the plastic crisis and is disproportionately impacted by plastics pollution.

• Plastics Pollution Policy: Gaps in the Pacific Region

• A safe(r) circular economy for plastics in the Pacific Region

• Plastics, Marine Litter, and Climate in the Pacific Region

• Plastics Impacts on Human Health in the Pacific Region

• The Business of Plastics: The Impacts of Plastics Pollution on Human Rights in the Pacific Region

• Pacific Regional Preparatory Workshop for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee

• Plastics pollution as waste colonialism in Te Moananui - Narrative analysis of semi-structured interviews with nineteen key plastic pollution decision-makers offering a contextual lens to understand challenges facing Pacific Island (Te Moananui) nations in preventing plastics pollution.

Mātauranga Māori and Plastics:

• Motivation for rethinking plastics - Rethinking plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand using an overarching framework that embraces the wisdom of te ao Māori, which addresses complex issues in a holistic way.

• Māori plastic pollution expertise and action in Aotearoa - Max Liboiron and Tina Ngata on how colonialism, plastic pollution, and Māori sciences are unique in Aotearoa.

• Treaty start to tackling plastic pollution - A Māori plastics campaigner on how Māori perspectives on conservation could help with a plant to rid the earth of plastic waste.

• Global Plastics Treaty: An Indigenous perspective on the plastic pollution crisis

• Indigenous voices needed in global plastics treaty talks

Other resources to explore:

• A Rocha’s Plastics Toolbox - Bringing together science, theology, education and lifestyle, with videos, downloads and other resources. You could do a Bible study, use a factsheet to learn more, talk to others, do a nurdle hunt and think about next steps for your location.

• Biblical Overview on Plastics - A talk by Rev Dr Dave Bookless of A Rocha International on the theological understanding of why Christians should be involved in reducing plastic pollution.

• A Rocha’s Global Plastic Cleanup - Oceans of hope, not plastic

• The Aotearoa Plastic Pollution Alliance (APPA) - A collaborative forum of researchers, educators, artists, activists and community leaders working to prevent plastic pollution in Aotearoa, Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, and beyond.

• Break Free From Plastic - A global movement envisioning a future free from plastic pollution.

Hard-to-recycle and single-use plastics phase out:

• Phasing out hard-to-recycle and single-use plastics

• Plastic products banned from October 2022: Guidance

This Eco Church kōrero was supported by Wellington City Council's Climate and Sustainability Fund 2022.