BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a5272b67f79d DTSTART:20210902T100000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20210902T104500Z LOCATION:Online (registration link below) / Geneva\, Switzerland SUMMARY:high-level event: How can cooperation on trade contribute to the UN EA process on plastic pollution? CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:UNCTAD\, UNEP\, the Forum on Trade\, Environment and the SDGs ( TESS)\, and the Government of Ecuador are organizing a high-level event & #039\;How can cooperation on trade contribute to the UNEA process on plast ic pollution?” on 2 September\, 12h00-12h45.\n\nIn 2021\, over 100 count ries are calling for a new global treaty to tackle plastics pollution. In early September\, a diverse group of governments will come together in Gen eva for a Ministerial Meeting to devise next steps and galvanize momentum . Meanwhile\, the challenges of plastics pollution have spurred work in a range of international organizations and processes. Central among these ar e several resolutions and ongoing discussions on plastic pollution in the context of the UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA). Over time\, plastics-foc used discussions under the UNEA have evolved from effects on marine ecosys tems\, to environmental impacts along the life-cycle of plastics\, on land and in the air\, including climate impacts as well as the impacts of plas tic pollution on public health and economic development. There is also gro wing recognition of the need to tackle the ‘upstream’ sources of plast ic pollution alongside efforts to address ‘downstream’ ‘waste.’\n\ nAlongside the UNEA process\, over 190 countries have signed new ‘plast ic waste’ amendments to the Basel Convention\, which seek to better reg ulate trade in plastic waste and became effective in January 2021. Meanwhi le\, a group of WTO Members launched an Informal Dialogue on Plastic Poll ution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade in November 2020\, w hich aims to promote cooperation on trade and trade policies in ways that can support and complement international cooperation to reduce plastic pol lution.\n\nThis event will highlight where and how trade and trade policie s are relevant to plastic pollution\, and the potential for stronger coope ration on trade to support and complement international efforts to tackle plastic pollution\, including through a proposed new global treaty. It wil l bring together high-level representatives of three international organiz ations working at the intersection of plastic pollution and trade – UNCT AD\, UNEP and the WTO — as well as Ambassadors from countries advancing proposals for enhanced cooperation in this area\, including through proces ses leading to UNCTAD 15 and the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference.\n\nTopic s to be addressed include: \n\n\nRelevance of trade policies to reducing the use of avoidable\, problematic and environmentally harmful plastic pro ducts\, hazardous plastic wastes\, and additives.\nRelevance of trade poli cies to promoting the use of plastic substitutes\, environmentally sound w aste management technologies and supportive circular economy approaches th at benefit developing countries.\nImportance of transparency of trade flow s of plastic products and wastes and their environmental implications\, in cluding through cooperation on international standards on plastics.\n\n\nW elcome\n\nH.E. Mr. José Valencia\, Ambassador of Ecuador to the WTO in Ge neva\n\nSpeakers\n\n\nMs. Isabelle Durant\, Acting Secretary-General\, UNC TAD \nMr. Jean-Marie Paugam\, Deputy Director-General\, WTO \nMs. Susan Gardner\, Director\, Ecosystems Division\, UNEP \nH.E. Mr. Gustavo Manriq ue\, Ecuador'\;s Minister for Environment and Water\, co-convener of t he Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution\nH.E. Mr. George Mina\, Ambassador\, Permanent Representative of Australia to the W TO in Geneva\nH.E. Mr. Chad Blackman\, Ambassador\, Permanent Representati ve of Barbados to the UN and WTO in Geneva\nH.E. Ms. Tine Mørch Smith\, A mbassador\, Permanent Representative of Norway to the UN and other interna tional organizations in Geneva (UNEA Chair) \n\n\nClosing remarks\n\nH.E. Mr. Simon Manley\, Ambassador\, Permanent Representative of the United Ki ngdom to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva \n\nH.E. Mr. Didier Chambovey\, Ambassador\, Permanent Representative of Switzerlan d to the WTO in Geneva. \nhttps://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news21_e/tes sd_29mar21_e.htm\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/meeting /high-level-event-how-can-cooperation-trade-contribute-unea-process-plasti c-pollution DTSTAMP:20260711T164334Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR