Plastics, Subsidies, and Economic Drivers of Pollution

We work to address the economic and fiscal incentives that drive unsustainable plastic production and pollution. This includes:

• Plastic Money Initiative: A multi-year programme exploring how subsidies and tax expenditures enable the production of virgin plastic. We produce accessible research, legal analysis, and convene stakeholders across trade, environment, and human rights spaces to inform treaty and trade negotiations.
• Treaty Engagement: Through the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on plastic pollution, we contribute legal and economic insights on subsidy reform, treaty coherence, and transparency mechanisms, often convening quiet diplomacy sessions to support negotiators.
• Human Rights Framing: We integrate rights-based approaches by participating in dialogues with UN Special Rapporteurs and Human Rights Council mechanisms, highlighting the social and environmental consequences of the plastics economy.