Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks

Session title: Re-thinking plastic packaging

25 Apr 23 16:00-17:30 UTC+2 (Salle Geneva)

SessionAbstract

Plastics proliferation is causing a global waste management crisis. Manufacturing and disposal of plastics also accelerate climate change. In the face of this crisis, humanitarian actors must take action to rethink the packaging of their relief items and take responsibility for the waste they generate.
Rethinking plastic packaging is nevertheless tricky, and the alternatives are complex to assess. This session aims to communicate the message to humanitarian actors that there is no “silver bullet” and that, rather, humanitarians need to rethink the way they work and step out of the “single use” mindset.
We will explore what some organizations have already done to remove or modify their packaging to reduce local pollution and carbon footprints, and to align with national legislation banning certain types of plastic packaging. We will also examine what humanitarians can do to make changes to their systems and procedures in order to increase their environmental sustainability and better their commitment to to “do no harm” in terms of generating waste in countries which often have limited capacity to adequately manage waste.

Speakers

Amro Elzoubi- Joint Initiative

Amro is an Environmental Engineer who graduated from Politecnico di Milano in Italy and specializes in chemicals and waste management. He is supporting the activities led by the World Food Programme under the USAID-funded Joint Initiative for Sustainable Humanitarian Assistance Packaging Waste Management. Before that, Amro supported several UN agencies in Jordan, Italy, and the USA concerning waste management, sustainable humanitarian procurement, resilient environments, and renewable energy.

Samantha Brangeon- Joint Initiative,

Samantha is now an independent consultant supporting humanitarian organisations to better understand and reduce their environmental and carbon footprints. She joined the team of the USAID-funded JI. Her specific tasks include mapping recycling infrastructures in humanitarian contexts, compiling case studies capturing best practices from the humanitarian sector on packaging sustainability and developing tools and guidance to help humanitarian organisations green their packaging and procurement practices.

Fiona Cook

For the past year she has worked as an independent consultant, helping to support humanitarian organisations to incorporate environmental sustainability into their logistics and procurement practices. She leads the advocacy and knowledge-management components of the JI, including coordination of the bi-monthly webinar series “Packaging Matters”, and is also responsible for monitoring and partner outreach.