NewsINBAR at UN expert meeting on commodities and development
The Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic Initiative was championed at important UN forum on commodities and development.
From 9 to 11 October 2023, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) hosted the 14th session of its Multi-year Expert Meeting on Commodities and Development in Geneva. An INBAR delegation led by Ms. Li Lan, INBAR Director of Host Country Affairs, participated in the forum, presenting on best practices with bamboo from the case study in Anji, Zhejiang, China.
As a green, low-carbon, fast-growing, renewable and degradable material, bamboo offers nature-based solutions for achieving the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Last year, China and INBAR co-launched the Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic Initiative, which is set to be a global roadmap for tackling the twin problems of plastic pollution and climate change. INBAR is now actively driving the initiative forward through its comprehensive project work, policy formulation and raising public awareness.
UNCTAD figures have highlighted that natural fibers, such as those from plants and trees, can be important green alternatives to plastic materials. This is where a bio-based plastic substitute like bamboo can help address the global crisis while delivering a suite of other environmental, economic and social benefits.
Nowadays, bamboo industries and adjacent value chains have achieved nearly total biomass utilization. However, there are still issues to solve, such as fragmented policies, inconsistent rules and regulations, insufficient consumer awareness. Despite these issues, there is immense potential for developing bamboo into a viable plastic substitute, especially as the world is on the eve of a global plastics treaty.
See more images from the expert meeting below:
For more information, see the fact sheet on bamboo and plastic pollution.
Read here INBAR’s recent statement submitted to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution.
