Greenpeace East Asia

Today, just three days before the conclusion of the fifth and crucial session to develop a Global Plastics Treaty (INC5), 150+ observer organizations, including Greenpeace, united in front of Bexco to deliver a powerful message: governments are failing to show the leadership needed to secure a strong agreement. “Right now, we see the usual low-ambition countries derailing the negotiations while the countries who have pledged ambition, such as members of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) and who sit comfortably in the majority, are sleepwalking into a treaty that will not be worth the paper it will be written on.” “A weak treaty based on voluntary measures will break under the weight of the plastic crisis and will lock us into an endless cycle of unnecessary harm.” Two powerful speakers took center stage to deliver our message: Aeshnina Azzahra Aqilani, a youth activist from River Warrior Indonesia, and Kumsook Ko, Almang Market / Uproot Plastics Coalition Korea. We unveiled a large, unbranded banner bearing the message: “A WEAK PLASTICS TREATY FAILS THE WORLD. SHOW COURAGE, NOT COMPROMISE.” Delegates held smaller banners in various languages, all echoing the words: “Courage, not compromise.”

We have published Toyota's reply to our open letter and our comment on that in English today. All individuals on this planet are feeling the impact of the climate crisis. We really need to act today, not in the future -- let's stop using combustion engine cars now. https://lnkd.in/gp4yVuY2

Alongside Greenpeace and Break Free From Plastic we shared the call of more than 2.9 million people around the world for a strong binding #PlasticsTreaty. On behalf of our supporters, Nikita Gill, Hannah Kim and Jeah Han raised their voices to call on governments to make good on their promise to end plastic pollution. Now is the time to deliver. The world is watching.

Just in time for the fifth and final round of Global #PlasticsTreaty negotiations, Pacific Environment hosted a seminar alongside Greenpeace Southeast Asia on sectoral strategies to reduce single use plastic in Asia. The panelists explored transition pathways for different sectors. Here are some takeaways: 👇 🫙 Reuse & refill: “Reuse and refill challenges the narrative that we need single use plastics,” said Marian Frances Ledesma, Zero Waste Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast Asia. However, plastics restrictions and bans are needed through policies and a global framework, because single use plastics (SUPs) are currently competing with reuse and refill systems. 🩺 Healthcare sector: 42% of plastic in hospitals are single use. Michelle Reyes, Sustainability Officer, Healthcare Without Harm Southeast Asia also covered how there is a growing trend to ban SUPs in healthcare facilities. 🧋 Bubble tea: There is growing pressure to reduce SUPs in fast-growing industries like bubble tea, says Pacific Environment’s China Regional Director Deng Ping. Last year, 676 cups of bubble tea were sold every second. However, the target of NGO action is for industry to take autonomous action to find plastic free business models. 🤝 GPT & sectoral strategies: Jacob Kean-Hammerson, Oceans Campaigner, Environmental Investigation Agency discussed how “dedicated programmes of work” are a novel approach currently being negotiated at the Global Plastics Treaty talks that allows rights holders and stakeholders to operationalize sectoral approaches, such as creating guidelines to develop reuse and refill systems. Thanks to all who attended, our excellent group of panelists and moderator Kristen McDonald for an informative and engaging event! 🎉 #INC5 #BreakFreeFromPlastic #PlasticPollutes #Reuse #Refill

Our tracking of #coal power approvals in #China shows a 79.5% year-on-year decrease during the first half of 2024, signalling a pivotal shift in China's energy transition. The early peak of coal emissions is crucial for decarbonizing China's power sector. According to Ember, coal power generation contributes to 95% of the power sector's carbon emissions. As clean energy overtakes coal power to dominate new capacity and electricity generation in China, it is highly likely that by 2025, renewable energy will be capable of fully meeting the growth in electricity demand—provided that the scale of new renewable energy installations in 2025 matches or exceeds the levels seen in 2023. https://lnkd.in/ePNUjHXA

Greetings from Busan, South Korea, where the 5th and crucial session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC5) to develop a Global Plastic Treaty officially kicked off today. Early this morning, as delegates headed to Bexco, the official venue for the treaty talks, Greenpeace unfurled a giant flag from a 10-story crane. Created by the artist Dan Acher in collaboration with Greenpeace East Asia l, the flag features faces of thousands of supporters and celebrities like William Shatner, James Cromwell, and João Pacífico. Together, these images represent a united call for accountability and a treaty that cuts plastic production and eliminates single-use plastics. The flag, visible all the way from Bexco, flew over Busan throughout the day, delivering a clear message: The world is watching as leaders gather to decide the future of our planet.  #INC5 #PlasticsTreaty

As the COP goes into overtime, INC5, the crucial meeting that will decide the fate of the Global Plastics Treaty is about to commence in Busan, South Korea. Yesterday, two days before the official start, thousands marched in Busan urging government to deliver a strong treaty that effectively addresses the root causes of the plastic pollution crisis by reducing global production. The Busan Plastic March organised by Greenpeace East Asia, Break Free from Plastic and local Korean allies from the Uproot Plastics Coalition included indigenous groups, youth, waste pickers, and community leaders. They emphasized the links between plastic pollution, human rights and environmental justice. The demonstrators, which also saw the participation of the world’s largest environmental groups and networks, insisted that the treaty must include production reduction targets to be effective at ending plastic pollution. More to come. Wish us good luck!

📢New Report Alert! Hong Kong’s journey to becoming a legitimate green finance hub might face challenges. Greenpeace East Asia released a new report “Uncovering Gaps: the Problems and Challenges of Hong Kong’s New Climate Disclosure Requirement Report”, which finds that 55% of listed large-cap companies, especially in real estate and finance, have not fully disclosed their Scope 3 emissions. The report also reveals 3 shortcomings in the HKEX’s new climate-related disclosure requirements. These gaps may potentially lead to #greenhushing – the underreporting or concealment of emissions data, the investors might be misled and making it difficult to accurately assess a corporation's true environmental impacts. Greenhushing could jeopardize Hong Kong's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and undermine its ambition to become a leading international green finance center. The 3 shortcomings of HKEX’s new climate-related disclosure requirements are: - Lack of a mandatory disclosure requirement for all Scope 3 data - Lack of an independent assurance requirement - Low penalty deterrence Greenpeace suggests that HKEX should enforce complete disclosure of all 15 Scope 3 emission categories, mandate third-party assurance for reported emissions data to boost credibility and enhance liability/penalties for non-compliance with greenhouse gas disclosure regulations to bolster the effectiveness of the new requirements. Read Report below! #Greenpeace #ClimateAction #GreenFinance #Greenhushing  #ESG #HongKong  #SustainableDevelopment

On #TransportDay at #COP29Azerbaijan, we are pleased to announce the first Japanese ZEV Declaration signatory — Saitama City. As one of the largest cities in #Japan, this is a crucial step towards improving air quality in the urban area and also signals strong support for the future of e-mobility in the region. "Since assuming office as mayor of Saitama City, I have continued to implement policies promoting electric vehicles aimed at reducing harmful emissions. The city’s E-KIZUNA Project aims to make official vehicles zero-emission, and we are also working with private companies to convert waste vehicles to electric. In order to advance these initiatives, we have decided to sign the ZEV Declaration and I am very honored to be the first Japanese city to participate in this advanced initiative." - Hayato Shimizu, Mayor of Saitama City Mayor Shimizu announced the signature at an Urban 7 event during the first week of COP29 in Baku.