As You Sow Investor Call for a Global Treaty on Plastic Pollution

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Unsustainable plastic production, consumption, and waste continues to accelerate at an alarming rate. Increasing levels of plastic pollution represent a serious global environmental problem, generating large amounts of greenhouse gases, adversely impacting marine biodiversity and ecosystems, fisheries, recreation and tourism, and posing human health risks.

Without immediate and sustained action, the annual flow of plastic into world oceans could nearly triple from 11 million metric tons to 29 million metric tons by 2040.

The undersigned 151 members of the investment community, representing nearly $5.5 trillion in collective assets under management, call on United Nations Member States to lay the groundwork for a global treaty to eradicate plastic pollution at the upcoming UN Environment Assembly meeting in February-March 2022.

We urge UN Member States to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee at UNEA 5.2 to develop an ambitious, global, legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.

Many leading businesses and financial institutions are already calling for a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, which is also supported by more than three quarters of UN Member States, and more than 2 million people. The treaty should prioritize:

  • A coordinated international response that covers the entire life cycle of plastics, not just improvements to waste management systems.

  • Reducing plastic use at least in line with the one-third cut in demand recommended by the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Breaking the Plastic Wave report.

  • circular economy approach, eliminating problematic and unnecessary plastics and focusing upstream to design out waste before it is created.

  • Decoupling plastic production from consumption of fossil fuels. Agreement on harmonized definitions and standards.

  • A coordinated international approach on national targets, action plans, and minimum requirements.

  • Common reporting and monitoring standards at corporate and national levels.

  • International capacity building mechanisms to support technology transfer, citizen education, and funding to scale innovative initiatives.

We are at a critical point in turning the tide on unfettered and outmoded linear plastic production and the burgeoning waste problem. UNEA 5.2 represents the world’s best hope for a global, harmonized, binding solution to plastic pollution.


Aargauische Pensionskasse (APK)

ACTIAM

Adrian Dominican Sisters, Portfolio Advisory Board

Aegon Asset Management

As You Sow

ATISA Personalvorsorgestiftung der Tschümperlin-Unternehmungen

AVENA - Fondation BCV 2e pilier

Aviva Investors

Bailard, Inc.

Bernische Lehrerversicherungskasse

Bernische Pensionskasse BPK

Betterworld at Mackenzie Investments

Bluprint Financial

Boston Common Asset Management

Caisse Cantonale d'Assurance Populaire – CCAP

Caisse de pension du Comité international de la Croix-Rouge

Caisse de pension Hewlett-Packard Plus

Caisse de pensions de l'Etat de Vaud (CPEV)

Caisse de pensions du personnel communal de Lausanne (CPCL)

Caisse de pensions ECA-RP

Caisse de pensions Féd. int. des Stés. de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge

Caisse de prév. des Fonctionnaires de Police & des Etablissements Pénitentiaires

Caisse de Prévoyance de l'Etat de Genève CPEG

Caisse de Prévoyance des Interprètes de Conférence (CPIC)

Caisse de prévoyance du personnel communal de la ville de Fribourg

Caisse de prévoyance du personnel de l'Etat de Fribourg (CPPEF) 

Caisse de prévoyance du personnel de l'Etat du Valais (CPVAL)

Caisse de retraite professionnelle de l'industrie vaudoise de la construction

Caisse intercommunale de pensions (CIP)

Caisse paritaire de prévoyance de l'industrie et de la construction (CPPIC)

CAP Prévoyance

Cassa pensioni di Lugano

Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church and Epworth Investment Management Ltd.

Chicory Wealth

Church Investment Group

CIEPP - Caisse Inter-Entreprises de Prévoyance Professionnelle

ClearBridge Investments

CommonSpirit Health

Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes

Congregation of St. Joseph

CPCN - Caisse de pensions de la fonction publique du canton de Neuchâtel

Dana Investment Advisors

Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise

Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids (MI)

 Earth Equity Advisors, LLC

EdenTree Investment Management Ltd

Emmi-Vorsorgestiftung

Etablissement Cantonal d'Assurance (ECA VAUD)

Etablissement cantonal d'assurance et de prévention (ECAP- Neuchâtel)

Ethos Foundation

Evangelisch-reformierte Landeskirche des Kantons Zürich

Everence and the Praxis Mutual Funds

Farm Girl Capital, LLC

First Affirmative Financial Network

Fondation de la métallurgie vaudoise du bâtiment (FMVB)

Fondation de prévoyance Artes & Comoedia

Fondation de prévoyance des Paroisses et Institutions Catholiques (FPPIC)

Fondation de prévoyance du Groupe BNP PARIBAS en Suisse

Fondation de Prévoyance Edmond de Rothschild

Fondation de prévoyance professionnelle en faveur de AROMED

Fondation de prévoyance Romande Energie

Fondation Interprofessionnelle Sanitaire de Prévoyance (FISP)

Fondation Leenaards

Fondation Patrimonia

Fonds de Prévoyance de CA Indosuez (Suisse) SA

Fonds interprofessionnel de prévoyance (FIP)

Gebäudeversicherung Luzern

Gebäudeversicherung St. Gallen

Green Century Capital Management, Inc.

Greenvest

Harrington Investments, Inc.

HIP Investor

Impact Capital Strategies

Impact Investors

Impax Asset Management PLC

Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility

Jesuit Committee on Investment Responsibility

Liechtensteinische AHV-IV-FAK

Loyalis BVG-Sammelstiftung

Luzerner Pensionskasse

Marianist Province of US

Mercy Investment Services, Inc.

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate/OIP Trust

Natural Investments

NEI Investments

Nest Sammelstiftung

Nia Impact Capital

Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment

Oldenburg Franciscans

P1 Investment Management Ltd

Pensionskasse  Römisch-katholische Landeskirche des Kantons Luzern

Pensionskasse AR

Pensionskasse Bank CIC (Schweiz)

Pensionskasse Basel-Stadt

Pensionskasse Bühler AG Uzwil

Pensionskasse Caritas

Pensionskasse der Basler Kantonalbank

Pensionskasse der Stadt Frauenfeld

Pensionskasse der Stadt Weinfelden

Pensionskasse der Stadt Winterthur

Pensionskasse Pro Infirmis

Pensionskasse Schaffhausen

Pensionskasse SRG SSR

Pensionskasse Stadt Luzern

Pensionskasse Stadt St. Gallen

Pensionskasse Unia

Pensionskasse von Krankenversicherungs-Organisationen

Personalvorsorgekasse der Stadt Bern

Personalvorsorgestiftung der Würth-Gruppe Schweiz

Previva, fonds de prévoyance des professionnels du travail social

Prévoyance Santé Valais (PRESV)

Profelia Fondation de Prévoyance

Progressive Investment Management

Prosperita Stiftung für die berufliche Vorsorge

Raiffeisen Pensionskasse Genossenschaft

Region VI Coalition for Responsible Investment

Rentes Genevoises

RP - Fonds Institutionnel

Sarasin & Partners LLP

School Sisters of Notre Dame, Central Pacific Province

Secunda Sammelstiftung

SharePower Responsible Investing

Sisters of Bon Secours USA

Sisters of Mary Reparatrix

Sisters of St. Dominic SRI Committee

Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia

Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston

Sisters of the Holy Cross

Sisters of the Humility of Mary

Sisters of the Precious Blood

Sonen Capital

Spida Personalvorsorgestiftung

St. Galler Pensionskasse

Stiftung Abendrot

Stiftung Personalvorsorge Liechtenstein

Sustainable Advisors Alliance LLC

SVA Zürich

Symova Sammelstiftung BVG

Terra Alpha Investments

Terre des hommes Schweiz

Trillium Asset Management

Unfallversicherungskasse des Basler Staatspersonals

Unigestion

United Church Funds

Université de Genève (UNIGE)

Vancity Investment Management (VCIM)

Verein Barmherzige Brüder von Maria-Hilf (Schweiz)

Veris Wealth Partners

Vert Asset Management

Vorsorge SERTO

WHEB Asset Management