Investors statement calling on petrochemical companies to reduce fossil fuel dependency and eliminate hazardous chemicals in plastics

1 member

July 2025 update:

In the run-up to the final negotiations on UN Treaty on plastic pollution, investors are again invited to sign an urgent call on petrochemical companies to reduce fossil fuel dependency and eliminate hazardous chemicals in plastics. With your support we hope to bring a strong signal to the UN Treaty negotiations in August.  

Collaboration details

Why this statement:

Update: In the run-up to the Plastics Treaty negotiations (INC 5.2) from 5-14 of August we invite more investors to support the investor statement - already signed by over 80 investors - to provide an even stronger message to the Treaty negotiations and the key companies in the industry. We also encourage banks to support!  

 

Petrochemical companies are a major contributor to plastic production, increasing the threat of plastic pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss and human health impacts. However, during the latest round of the UN led Plastics Treaty negotiations petrochemical companies have opposed any amendments to address production to curb plastic pollution and pushed back against the inclusion of any suggested proposals to address polymer production within the treaty.

This bears risks for investors. Plastics production is due to triple by 2060 with lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions due to double, contributing to 4.5% of global emissions. To align with the Paris Agreement petrochemical companies must transition. Additionally, emerging evidence links toxic chemicals present in plastics to a variety of health issues. In the USA alone, exposure to just three common plastic chemicals amounted to USD 675 billion in health costs in 2015. As plastic polymer production continues to surge, the threat looms larger. To manage the resulting financial risks, we now ask investors to join a call on petrochemical companies to reduce fossil fuel dependency and eliminate hazardous chemicals in plastics. 

 

Objectives

With the statement, investors are asking petrochemical companies to:

  1. Transparently disclose, define strategies and set clear targets to transition to production of safe, environmentally sound and sustainable plastic
  2. Address polymers and chemicals of concern in their products
  3. Build suitable infrastructure for production of sustainable materials 
  4. Establish dedicated governance 
  5. Publicly support an ambitious international legally binding instrument for ending plastic pollution

In the run-up to the final round of UN treaty on plastics, this call is a public expression of investor concern about the industry's failure to commit to a transition and its opposition to a strong and ambitious treaty to end plastic pollution.

 

Stament and sign up: 

Read the full statementhttps://planet-tracker.org/petchem-investors/

Sign the statement: https://planet-tracker.org/petchem-investor-statement-form

 

More info

If you would like to speak to organisers of the statement directly, please reach out to nicole@planet-tracker.org

NB: If you cannot make the deadline of August 14th, but you are still interested to sign on,  please let us know as soon as possible. 

Created on
ESG theme
  • Environment
ESG sub-theme
  • Biodiversity / nature
  • Fossil fuel financing
  • Waste and pollution
Sector
  • Energy
  • Materials
Sustainable Development Goal
  • 12 - Responsible consumption & production
  • 14 - Life below water
Geography
  • Global
Asset class
All