December 2024 Newsletter ? Global Treaty (INC-5) Recap, Earthshot Prize Nomination for 1% for the Planet, & More ??

Reflecting on 2024 and preparing for a new year ahead

Dear Friends,

UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations wrapped up in Busan, Republic of Korea, earlier this month, and I was there with the Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) team and allies to help keep the pressure on negotiators to agree on a strong, legally binding treaty. Despite Member States being unable to reach a deal, there was promising ambition and growing collaboration among the majority of countries, and we’re hopeful for the additional round of talks at INC-5.2 next year. Ultimately, a delay is better than settling for a weak agreement that fails to meaningfully address the problem now, and the silver lining is that in the meantime, we can gain even more support for a strong treaty that cuts plastic pollution.

PPC is excited to announce 1% for the Planet as our nominee for The Earthshot Prize 2025. We are honored to be among the 432 official Earthshot Prize Nominators from 75 countries to select projects with ambitious but achievable goals that have the potential to restore our planet for generations to come. 1% for the Planet is changing business as usual, creating radical transparency, and ensuring planetary health by delivering business resources to environmental solutions. Learn more.?

As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on both the wins and challenges ahead. As this year’s holiday season got underway, Coca-Cola, the world’s biggest consumer-facing plastic producer, disappointingly—but not surprisingly—dropped its plastic-free reuse targets and even diminished its goals of plastic “recycling.”

Speaking of corporate greed, a new documentary on Netflix—Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy —exposes how big brands like Adidas, Amazon, Apple, H&M, Shein, and Unilever are trashing the planet. The film explores how targeted advertising, one-click purchase options, and mass production from some of the world’s largest companies are driving a new era of overconsumption, rapidly leading to a world choked in plastic pollution. Read more and sign our related petition.

Everyone has a role to play in building a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts, and we must hold the corporations and governments responsible for perpetuating plastic pollution accountable. As we work together to shift the system, you can make changes in your own life, such as incorporating plastic-free practices that help end plastic pollution into your holiday celebrations.

Onward together,

Madison Dennis

Project Manager

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P.S. Please support our work as we head into 2025. Donations will be TRIPLE-matched through midnight (ET) December 31.

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