Governments have urged the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to facilitate a Global Textiles Policy Dialogue, aiming to create a space to empower governments to foster circularity across the value chain.
- The call was made during the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) held at Nairobi, Kenya.
- The Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and Türkiye Ministry of Trade, with support from UNEP, had convened a high-level UNEA-6 side event titled ‘Connecting the Threads: A coordinated policy response to transform the textile value chain and offer solutions which preserve nature’.
- The importance of global policy coordination on textiles had earlier been highlighted in UNEP’s 2023 report, Sustainability and Circularity in the Textile Value Chain: A Global Roadmap.
THE IDEAS: The event recognised the urgency of scaling up policy efforts that minimise negative impacts of the textiles value chain on nature, people and economies.
- Panelists acknowledged that tackling the negative environmental impacts of the textile value chain requires a systemic change with lifecycle-based and upstream policies, such as products designed with resource efficiency and circularity principles. To succeed, solutions need to be economically viable for industry and attractive enough for consumers.
- Participants emphasised the need for the Global Textiles Policy Dialogue to leverage existing policy work on climate change (Paris Agreement), biodiversity (Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) and pollution (Global Framework on Chemicals).
THE VOICES: Among those who spoke:
- Mustafa Tuzcu, Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of Trade, called for UNEP to “bring and convene a wide array of governments in an inclusive policy dialogue to facilitate the transition towards a climate neutral, resource efficient and circular textile sector.”
- Ligia Noronha, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the UNEP New York Office, said: “To bring about policy coherence, we must find sustainable ways to balance consumption and production within a frame of human rights, environmental and sustainability laws.”
- Afke van Rijn, Vice Minister for the Environment and International Affairs at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands, said: “If a just transition is to be achieved, international cooperation is of absolute importance. A global policy dialogue allows for more international coordination for policy implementation and to share experience and knowledge on different policy initiatives.”
- Arnaud Suquet, France’s Ambassador to Kenya and UNEP Permanent Representative, said: “The growing popularity of ultra-fast fashion, low-quality products and very low prices, is contributing to an explosion in textile waste. We need to start thinking collectively about the issue of textile waste […] and France is ready to get involved.”
- Lydia Essuah, Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation of Ghana, said: “Not only are we interested to learn from the success stories of other countries, we also want to learn from their failures.” Essuah also highlighted the importance of engaging with local governments, manufacturers, retailers, waste management companies and non-governmental organisations to effectively address the challenge.
- Leila Chikhaoui Mahdaoui, Tunisia’s Minister of Environment, highlighted the importance of the textile industry to her country’s economy. To transform the textile value chain, Mahdaoui advocated for research partnerships and knowledge transfer in emerging technology in textile materials, production and recycling, alongside enhancing access to finance and the establishment of internationally agreed durability labels.
