The last delegates left the INC-1 December 2, but the work has only begun. A lot happened at the INC-1, and Ocean Plastics Leadership Network (OPLN) was on the ground and in the Cloud supporting the process of multi-stakeholder engagement.

To build capacity for engagement in the treaty process, OPLN will host an open Multi-Stakeholder INC-1 Digest December 12, 11am-12:30pm EST. This 90 minute capacity-building program will cover key insights and perspectives from the first session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee and pathways for moving forward.

Interested in attending? Register for the Digest here.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect next Monday

OPLN Partner Marta Lopata will open the session with a brief introduction to the Global Plastics Negotiations process as well the role of OPLN’s Global Treaty Dialogues in bringing neutral and inclusive capacity building to the UN Plastics Treaty process. Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez (INC-1 Chair) and Brenda Koekkoek with UNEP will open the session with an overview of the INC-1 and what to expect on the road ahead. Christina Dixon of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) will then share key takeaways gained from the opening negotiations in Uruguay.

OPLN Digest Forum will facilitate a discussion gaining perspectives on what occurred at INC-1 and what may be coming next, including viewpoints from:

• Christina Dixon, Environmental Investigation Agency
• Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez (INC-1 Chair)
• Brenda Koekkoek, Programme Manager, Circle of Excellence on Plastic Pollution at UNEP
• Maria Alejandra Gonzalez, WWF Regional Coordinator Plastic Policy
• Juliet Kabera, Director General, Rwanda Environment Management Authority
• Dr Julius Piercy, Head of Marine Litter Policy at DEFRA
• Luis Vayas Valdivieso, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ecuador
• International Alliance of Waste Pickers
• Anne-Gaelle Collot, Plastics Europe
• Jodie Rousell, Nestlé
• Dr Trisia Farrelly, Massey University
• Tim Grabiel, Environmental Investigation Agency
• Yoni Shiran, SYSTEMiQ

In 2022, OPLN convened National Treaty Dialogues in seven countries including Pakistan, Ghana, the United States, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, and Malaysia. During the digest Marta Lopata Partner at OPLN will share case studies of multi-stakeholder alignment insights from National Treaty Dialogues Program.

Central to INC deliberations is recognition and empowerment of the informal waste picking sector, which plays an important role diverting plastic waste from entering the ocean. The International Alliance of Waste Pickers will speak on behalf of the global informal waste picking sector, sharing the most urgent matters the INC process must address to empower waste pickers, as well as the most effective short-term steps organizations and governments can take to support the informal waste sector.

Last but not least, Dave Ford, Founder of OPLN, will moderate a final panel discussion exploring the cross-sector implications of INC-1. This panel will explore the path ahead with various stakeholders in the plastics ecosystem, including Dr Anne-Gaelle Collot from Plastics Europe, Tim Grabiel with the EIA, Dr Trisia Farrelly from Massey University, Yoni Shiran from SYSTEMiQ, Jodie Russel from Nestle and and representatives of the informal waste sector including

Interested in attending? Register for the Digest here.

Message from SAP - Supporting Partner

The UN Plastics Treaty represents a unique opportunity to mobilize world leaders, businesses, and communities around a common goal and action plan to bring plastic use within planetary boundaries and eliminate the plastic pollution wreaking havoc our planet.

As the provider of technology systems underpinning 88% of the world’s commerce, SAP is committed to delivering the digital solutions and innovations needed to enable the goals of the treaty at scale.

SAP is a long-term partner to the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network and has
greatly benefited from learning, collaborating, and co-innovating on ideas within the Network. As a result, our approach to developing technical solutions to advance the circular economy also focuses on ensuring businesses are ready to take on the challenges and opportunities that such a landmark treaty will represent. SAP Responsible Design and Production will help businesses navigate new regulations, standardise the approach to material measurement, support design processes that enable innovation and unlock solutions that will be sustainable for the long term.

We look forward to continuing our partnership and doing our part to see that plastic never becomes waste or pollution, and the value of products and materials is retained in the economy.

Meet the speakers

Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velásquez

Meza-Cuadra Velásquez is a career diplomat with over 30 years of service in Peru’s foreign service. Gustavo Meza-Cuadra is a Chair for INC-1.

Brenda Koekkoek

Brenda Koekkoek is a Programme Manager of the Circle of Excellence on Plastic Pollution at the UN Environment Programme, which facilitates UNEP-wide engagement on marine litter and plastic pollution. Before joining UNEP in 2006, Koekkoek worked for Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Christina Dixon

Christina Dixon is a London-based campaigns and communications expert specializing in fisheries and plastic pollution. She is the Ocean Campaign Leader for the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).

Maria Alejandra Gonzalez

Gonzalez is the WWF plastics policy coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean. She is based in Columbia.

Juliet Kabera

Juliet Kabera was appointed as a Director General of Rwanda’s Environment Management Authority in May 2020. Prior to her current office, Kabera was Director General of Environment and Climate Change at the Ministry of Environment. Throughout her career, Kabera has been at the center of strengthening Rwanda’s environmental policies and institutions.

Dr Julius Piercy

A proud champion of science and sound evidence to support policy, Dr Piercy heads up Marine Litter Policy at the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Julius Piercy has a background in zoology (BSc University of Bristol) and marine biology (PhD University of Essex).

Luis Vayas Valdivieso

Luis Vayas Valdivieso is a senior diplomat and Vice-minister of Foreign Affairs for the government of Ecuador. Valdivieso has vast experience in multilateral environmental negotiations, resulting in his appointment as the Ecuadorian Chair to the INC for advancing a global plastics treaty in the Americas and beyond.

Dave Ford

Dave Ford is the founder of OPLN, a 130+ strong activist-to-industry network dedicated to solving the ocean plastics crisis. Since 2015, Ford has led eyewitness expeditions and dialogue sessions with the goal of catalyzing environmental stakeholder engagement and education.

Dr Anne-Gaelle Collot

Dr Anne-Gaelle Collot is the Senior Manager of Circularity with Plastics Europe, a trade organization focused on circularity in the plastics industry. Dr Collot has vast experience in environmental legislation and representation, with international expertise in strategy and regulation in the chemical, plastics, and energy sectors.

Tim Gabriel

Tim Gabriel is a Paris-based environmental lawyer with an illustrious history litigating and teaching environmental law. Gabriel has been providing legal and policy advocacy to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) since 2011.

Dr Trisia Farrelly

Dr Trisia Farrelly is an environmental anthropologist with extensive experience teaching, supervising, and conducting various research projects focused on marine plastic waste. She co-founded the (NZ) Plastic Pollution Alliance and NZ Product Stewardship Council. She is currently Director at Massey University Political Ecology Centre and sits on the UNEP Scientific Advisory Committee for Plastic Pollution.

Jodie Roussell

Jodie Roussell is the Senior Public Affairs Manager of Packaging & Sustainability at Nestlé. Roussell manages global public affairs for te company's packaging, plastics, and sustainability.

Yoni Shiran

Yoni Shiran is a sustainability expert at McKinsey with a special focus on circularity. Shiran is a Partner with SYSTEMiQ, a London-based B Corp developing effective cross-sector partnerships to drive sustainable economies.

Marta Lopata

Marta Lopata is Partner at OPLN which a background in tech, startups and sentiment data. Marta is leading Global Treaty Dialogue Program with an emphasis on creative stakeholder engagement and alignment output generation across disparate voices.