Fossil Fuels to Plastics: Bridging the Climate Gap Ahead of the Global Plastics Treaty
As global efforts to transition away from fossil fuels accelerate, continued petrochemical expansion poses a growing challenge to climate action. Oil and gas are not only energy sources but also feedstocks for plastics and other chemical products. New investments in petrochemical capacity risk prolonging fossil fuel dependence, locking in emissions, and undermining climate goals.
This challenge is particularly pressing in Asia, a major petrochemical production hub facing persistent oversupply and intensifying competition. While producers face pressure to restructure existing operations, new capacity investments risk deepening oversupply and complicating the transition, prolonging fossil fuel dependence.
Meanwhile, negotiations for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty have highlighted the need to address plastic pollution across the entire lifecycle, including primary plastic production. However, the role of production-reduction measures remains contested. Recycling and waste management alone cannot address the climate and environmental impacts of continued virgin plastic production.
Against this backdrop, COP31 offers an opportunity to bridge the climate and plastics agendas ahead of the next International Negotiating Committee (INC) negotiations. Hosted by Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC), this side event, “Fossil Fuels to Plastics: Bridging the Climate Gap Ahead of the Global Plastics Treaty,” will bring together civil society organizations and international experts, including members of the Break Free from Plastic (BFFP) movement, to examine the climate implications of petrochemical expansion and identify opportunities to align fossil fuel transition strategies, industrial restructuring, and the Global Plastics Treaty to curb virgin plastic production.
Panelists:
Gyuri Park - Campaign Strategist, Green Environment Youth Korea (GEYK)
Ana Rocha - Director of Global Plastics Program, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)
Pinky Chandran - Asia and Pacific Regional Coordinator, Break Free From Plastic (BFFP)
Shahriar Hossain - Founder and Secretary General, Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO)