MULTIFAITH COALITION IN SUPPORT OF 
A LEGALLY BINDING GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY

A great deal is at stake for the health of the planet, people, and all beings as we await the 5.2 UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations which will take place August 4-14 in Geneva, Switzerland. The proposed treaty, hailed as the most significant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris Agreement on climate change, is the result of a March 2022 UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, in which 175 nations agreed to adopt a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution by 2040.

The Stimson Center in Washington, DC, conducted two webinars on the need for the treaty, and the treaty's core strategy. The UNEP Faith for Earth working group on pollution has convened this webinar on the power of faith communities in the negotiations.

Together, Beyond Plastics and our partners at Boston College, are helping to build the coalition of faith leaders and organizations speaking out on plastic pollution, to be represented at the treaty negotiations. Your voice is needed to testify to these truths: 

(From: Boston College, “Joining Science and Theology to End Plastic Pollution, Protect Health, and Advance Social Justice” Oct 4th-5th, 2024)

1. Plastics cause disease, disability, and premature death at every stage of their life cycle in production, use and disposal.

2. Plastics endanger human reproduction.

3. Plastics damage infants and children.

4. Plastic production worsens climate change.

5. Plastics threaten human rights.

6. Plastic recycling does not work.

7. Plastic pollution is a global threat.

8. Relentless increases in production are the main driver of plastic’s worsening harms.

Please SIGN this declaration to join the coalition to join the coalition.

Please SHARE this declaration with other clergy, houses of worship, and organizations of all faiths and traditions. 

We are powerful when we unite and speak out in care of our sacred earth. 

COALITION MEMBERS

Organizations

• IKAR Jewish Community, Los Angeles CA

• Green Anglicans, South Africa

• The Interfaith Center of New York

• Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, NY

• Interfaith Public Health Network

• Jones Memorial United Methodist Church, Washington, DC

• St. Marks United Methodist Church, Brooklyn NY

• Boston College

• Sisters of Charity of New York

• Church Women United in New York State

• Upaya Zen Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico

• Fourth Universalist Society in the City of New York 

• Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, Washington DC

• Second Presbyterian Church, New York, NY

• Presbyterians for Earth Care

• First Parish Unitarian Universalists, Brewster, MA

• Capital Region Interfaith Creation Care Coalition, Albany, NY

• Rochester Mennonite Fellowship, Rochester, NY

• Rochester Area Interfaith Climate Action, Rochester, NY

• Albany Presbytery Peacemaking, Albany NY

• Live Oak Friends Meeting, Salinas, CA

• Peacham Congregational Church, Peacham VT

• Hilltop United Methodist Church, Mankato, MN

• Barelra Movement

• United Religions Initiative

• St. James Presbyterian Church, Harlem, NY

• Denver Presbytery, Denver CO

• UUCC Climate Action, Kingston, NY

• St. Peter’s Presbyterian Church, Spencertown, NY

• Oklahoma Faith Network

• St. Francis Xavier Environment Ministry, New York, NY

• Earthcare Committee, Rochester Friends Meeting, Rochester, NY

• Church of St. Mary The Virgin, Chappaqua, NY

• Presbyterian United Church of Christ, Saratoga Springs, NY

• Beth Emet The Free Synagogue, Evanston, IL

• Bahu Trust, United Kingdom

• Church of St. John in the Wilderness, Copake Falls, NY

Individuals

• Rev. Dr. Rachel Mash, South Africa

• Peace Ambassador Ardash Warman, Mathura , Uttar Pradesh , India

• Rev. Dr. Janice Katouby, Maine, USA

• Rev. Larry Deiss, New York, USA

• Rev. Dr. Chloe Brayer, New York, USA

• Sister Dorothy Scesny, New York, USA

• Rev. Dr. Daniel Carlson, New York, USA

• Sister Alice Pencavel, New York, USA

• Sister Eileen Gannon, New York, USA

• Sister Mary Catherine Rice, Illinois, USA

• Rev. Kathi Jones, New York, USA

• Rev. Dr. Earl Johnson, New York, USA

• Professor Bee Newell, New York, USA

• Dr. Phil Landrigan, Massachusetts, USA

• Rev. Geraldine Proctor, New York, USA

• Rabbi Judith Edelstein, New York, USA

• Rev. Sharee Wharton, New York, USA

• Dr. Stephanie Putzier, New York, USA

• Rev. Dr. Andrew Vidich, New York, USA

• Hazzan Risa Wallach, New Jersey, USA

• Sister Carol De Angelo, New York, USA

• Abbot Roshi Joan, New Mexico, USA

• Rabbi Fred Sherlinder Dobb, Washington DC, USA

• Rev. Thia Reggio, New York, USA

• Rev. Dr. Frederick Weidmann, New York, USA

• Rev. Sandra Londa, Texas, USA

• Rev. Dr. KC Lee, California, USA

• Rev. Dr. Brandan Eddy, Missouri, USA

• Rev. Dr. Derrick McQueen, New York, USA

• Rev. Lauren VanHamm, USA

• Rev. Donna Elia, New York, USA

• Sister Elizabeth Bower, Ohio, USA

RESOURCES

• Beyond Plastics Multifaith Declaration on Plastic Pollution

• Boston College Conference on Plastic Pollution 

• High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution

• Plastic Pollution, Theological Ethics, and the Call of Laudato-Si, Dr. Phil Landrigan, et al. 

• A Message from Judaism, Rabbi Leonid Friedman

• A Message from Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness the Dalai Lama

• A Message from the Eastern Orthodox Church, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

• A Message from Cardinal Michael Czerny S.J., Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

• Statement in Support of Science and Policy Action to End Plastic Pollution, Protect Human Health, and

  Advance Social Justice for All, Prof. Joachim von Braun, President of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, The Vatican

• The United Nations Plastics Treaty – A Global Agreement to End Plastic Pollution: What is it? Why is it Needed?, Dr. Philip Landrigan and Sarah Stimson Karis

• Plastics 'crisis' is costing $1.5 trillion in global deaths and injuries, report says, Alexander Smith for NBC News

• Beyond Plastics Toolkit for Houses of Worship (below)