UAE – The Packaging Producer Responsibility Organization (PAKPRO) is gearing up to host a significant side event themed “Mitigating Climate Change through Sustainable Plastic Packaging” at the 28th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 28).
Led by CEO Joyce Gachugi-Waweru, this event, supported by the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), will spotlight Kenya’s endeavors in crafting sustainable plastic packaging to counteract the impacts of climate change.
Packaging plays a pivotal role in the energy consumption of food products, accounting for an estimated 5% of their life cycle energy usage.
In some cases, the packaging itself contributes more significantly to climate change than the transportation fuel used to bring products to market.
While there’s increasing action against climate change by businesses, investors, and governing bodies, reports highlight that current efforts fall short of the necessary pace to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as emphasized in the 2023 Yearbook of Global Climate Action.
COP 28, hosted by the UAE, aspires to build on prior achievements and lay the groundwork for more ambitious endeavors to tackle the worldwide challenge of climate change.
PAKPRO is eager to engage in these high-level dialogues, contributing its insights and strategies to combat climate change effectively.
The organization has been actively collaborating with recyclers and industry stakeholders to advocate for sustainable waste management practices.
In a recent partnership with Tetra Pak, PAKPRO initiated a beverage carton recovery drive in Kenya, anticipating the retrieval of 1,500 tonnes of used beverage carton packs, which comprise 30% of Kenya’s produced LBP (Liquid Based Packaging).
This initiative has garnered support from domestic recyclers like Ramani Warehouse and Ekotech, marking a significant step towards responsible waste management practices in the country.
Additionally, PAKPRO has teamed up with the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Kenya) on the Waste Value Project, providing Mombasa and Kilifi counties with strategic plastic receptacles along beaches to curb plastic pollution in the Indian Ocean.
Alex Kubasu, WWF program coordinator on the circular economy initiative at the time said, “We have trained over 700 people in waste management and even donated waste recycling equipment to three community-based organizations within the region to deal with the problem.
“So far we have collected more than 2,500 tonnes of plastics, which have been recycled, at the same time earning a decent living to the people within the region.”
Plastic pollution is one of the major environmental challenges facing the global community today. According to a report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), human activities such as deforestation and plastic pollution are key drivers of climate change.
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