Mexico to host Global Pact Network Connect 2025 to tackle food and plastic waste

MEXICO – Representatives from 15 countries convened in Mexico for Pact Network Connect 2025, a groundbreaking three-day event focused on combating the dual crises of broken food systems and escalating plastic pollution.

The gathering, organized by WRAP, a global environmental action NGO, marked the first time the Food and Plastics Pact Networks met as a unified force to exchange strategies and accelerate collaborative solutions.

The Plastics Pact Network, comprising 13 international pacts supported by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, joined forces with 11 Food Pacts.

These initiatives unite private and public sector organizations, charities, and NGOs to drive collaborative action on systemic environmental challenges.

Attendees included Pact Secretariat representatives, investors, and philanthropic organizations who worked together to co-design actionable solutions to reduce food loss, waste, and plastic pollution. 

Addressing global challenges

The event emphasized the importance of tackling plastic pollution across the 19 countries within the Plastics Pact Network and addressing food waste in the 10 countries represented in the Food Pact Network.

Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP, highlighted the significance of these pacts, stating, “The numerous Pacts are the engine rooms driving forward a new circular economy for plastics and food.

“They give me hope that we can correct the failures of our food and plastic systems. Ahead of securing global intergovernmental agreements, voluntary actions from companies, NGOs, and governments provide an agile and effective pathway to transformation.” 

Building on the momentum from the first Plastics Pact Network meeting in South Africa in 2024, this year’s event reflected a sense of urgency, especially following inconclusive negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic pollution at INC5 in Busan, 2024.

Since their inception, the Plastics Pacts have eliminated over 360,000 tonnes of problematic plastics and increased the recycled content in packaging by 44%.

Marta Longhurst, Pacts and Field-Building Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation emphasized the measurable success of the Plastics Pacts, “Thanks to the Plastics Pacts, tens of billions of problematic plastic items have been eliminated, and design for reusability and recyclability has increased by 23%.

“The Network’s tangible impact is a testament to the power of collaboration in creating a circular economy for plastics.”

Expanding food pact collaboration

For the first time, the Food Pact Network joined forces in person to address global food loss and waste.

Through a shared commitment to the principles of Target-Measure-Act, these initiatives align with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 to halve global food waste by 2030.

Alejandra Kopaitic, Director of the Chilean Plastics Pact, emphasized the value of global collaboration, “Pact Network Connect allows countries to share experiences, foster regional partnerships, and strengthen global cooperation. This enriches our work in Chile and aligns our efforts with international best practices.”

Pact Network Connect 2025 underscored the importance of systemic approaches to resolving environmental challenges.

As Ninel Escobar, Director of Climate Change at WWF Mexico, highlighted, tackling issues like plastic waste requires comprehensive solutions across the entire lifecycle of materials.

This landmark event reaffirmed the critical role of collaborative networks in addressing global environmental crises, inspiring hope for a sustainable and circular future for food and plastics systems worldwide.

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