Unpacking Plastics: Climate, Communities and Corporates

A workshop on understanding the impacts of plastics across their lifecycle

October 8-12, 2025

Context

Almost all plastics are made from non-renewable petrochemicals sourced from fossil fuels, viz., oil, gas, and coal. The alarmingly increased conversion of fossil fuels into plastics and petrochemicals is “locking in” our economies into fossil fuels. Plastics and petrochemicals not only cause pollution but also severely worsen climate change and impact agri-food systems and the food value chain, thereby compounding negative impacts on the rights to life and health. Defossilization of our world economy will also mean preventing fossil fuel lock-in through plastics and petrochemicals production. Turning off the tap in plastics production is urgently needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C by the end of the century.

There is no scientific doubt that fossil fuels are the main cause of climate change, and the main driver of other planetary crises – biodiversity loss, toxic pollution, inequalities and mass human rights violations. As the fossil fuel industry is facing increasing pressure from governments, citizens and civil society organisations to move to renewable energy, “Plastics are the Fossil Fuel industry’s Plan B”.  The polymer industry is characterized by a few oligarchs who control not only the polymer industry but also the downstream production of plastics and how they are disposed of. This control encompasses the narrative in the media and also policies. It is imperative therefore that this segment of the polymer industry be held accountable for the implications of their businesses on the climate, public health and environment. 

The climate impacts of plastics are also felt as the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industries embrace plastics to promote their products further and flood the market with single use plastics. While the use value of these plastics lasts only a couple of minutes, it takes 100s of years for a plastic packaging to degrade in a landfill.  MNCs refuse to publicly share the quantity of plastic packaging that they put out in any of their markets/territories making it furthermore difficult to hold them accountable. At the same time, most of them have announced targets for reducing their use of plastic in packaging and recycling certain quantities of this sold plastic via false solutions such as incineration which is the most carbon intensive way to manage plastic waste.

The harmful impacts of plastic raw material extraction, production, transportation and post-use/disposal are well documented. However, the important climate connection of plastics across its lifecycle needs more attention and analysis. 

About the Workshop

Center for Financial accountability (CFA) and Sambhaavnaa Institute offer this workshop to help participants understand the relationship between fossil fuels and plastics. It also aims to help the participant understand what it takes to make plastics and the impact that it has on the climate, environment and humans in each stage of its death cycle: from oil exploration, transportation of crude oil, refining, manufacturing of petrochemicals (which are the raw materials for plastics), the production of plastics, consumption and ‘disposal’. The workshop will also help in the critical analysis, monitoring and critique of the role of financial institutions – national and international in the development of the plastics industry buildout and holding them accountable. 

The workshop will help participants explore these issues from the perspective of social and environmental justice. Evidence and data offered in this workshop will help build the participant’s knowledge on the themes covered. 

Learning Goals

1. Develop a critical perspective of the plastics lifespan including the state-industry nexus
2. Understand the relationship between fossil fuels, plastics and climate
3. Critically analyse how systems and policies sideline the climate, environmental and social impacts of the petrochemical and plastics industry in favour of private profit-driven approaches. 
4. Understand the role of national and international financial institutions Power Finance Corporation, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency, World Bank, Japan Bank for International Cooperation in funding the plastic infrastructure. 
5. Understanding of the impacts along the plastics death cycle

Methodology

The program shall use a variety of methodologies including interactive lectures and discussions facilitated by subject experts, lived experience sharing by activists, film screenings, photo exhibition, and collective reflection, readings and presentations, group and individual exercises, amongst others, to enable participants to reflect on their current understanding, and help deepen the same.

Broad themes include:

• The Petrochemical Lifeline for Plastics and the Climate Emergency
• Plastic-driven Pollution and Planetary & Social Crises
• Exposing the Petrochemical Playbook – Power, Narratives, and Accountability
• Turning off the Tap by De-fossilising Futures with SUP Ban & Systemic Shifts
• Weaving the Web – Intersectional Strategies & Collective Power for Change

Who is the workshop for?

This is a call to all teachers, students, activists, community mobilisers and concerned citizens, who are deeply concerned about this state of affairs today. We invite young minds to come together, use this opportunity to sharpen your understanding and capacities to engage with your surroundings. 

Language:

The primary medium of communication will be in English

Resources Persons:

CFA will anchor the workshop. Resource persons will include members of CFA’s oil and gas team and some thematic experts. The following are the tentative list of speakers: 

Dr. Vishvaja Sambath is an environmental health researcher examining the health impacts of fossil fuels, air pollution, and climate change. Her work focuses on the effects of petrochemical industries and plastics on communities, as well as related policy advocacy. She has participated as an observer at both COP26 and the recent UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiation. She holds a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Dental Surgery.

Swathi Seshadri is currently associated with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). Swathi is an energy specialist in petrochemicals in South Asia. Her work focuses on the petrochemical industry, investments in the sector, and drivers of the industry.

Swathi has worked in the petrochemical industry for the past four years in her role as a team lead (oil and gas) at the Centre for Financial Accountability. She has been engaging with the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations as an observer. She has also been involved in mapping petrochemical infrastructure and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, including supporting organizations aspiring to initiate work on petrochemicals.

Soumya Datta—Soumya is associated with the environmental movement of India and is a key coordinator of MAUSAM (Movement for Advancing Understanding on Sustainability And Mutuality) and Friends of the Earth, India. He is also the co-convener of the South Asian People’s Action on Climate Crisis (SAPACC), a board member of GreenpeaceIndia Environment Trust, and a founding member of India-Climate-Justice (ICJ).

Chythenyen Devika Kulasekaran – Chythenyen is a senior researcher with the Centre for Financial Accountability. He holds a master’s degree in international relations. He works on issues of post-consumption management of plastics, with a specific focus on waste-to-energy projects.

Shibu, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives

Participant Contribution

We hope that participants will contribute an amount of Rs. 5,000/- towards workshop expenses, inclusive of all on-site workshop costs: boarding, lodging, and all the materials used in the workshop.Travel of participants will have to be borne by the organization/the participants.

Do not let money impede your application. Need-based fee waivers are available.We have a limited number of scholarships, so please apply for a fee waiver if you need it. Do remember that there may be others who need it more than you. Fee waivers will be offered to people from marginalized groups and non-funded social, political or student movements.

Dates and Venue: October 8-12, 2025, Sambhaavnaa Institute, VPO Kandbari, Tehsil Palampur, District Kangra, PIN 176061, Himachal Pradesh.

How to reach: Please visit: Getting here

For any other info:  WhatsApp or call : 889 422 7954 (between 10 am to 5 pm), and e-mailil [email protected]

Application Closed