Mairie de Paris

Organizing a side event at the international treaty on limiting plastic pollution

In March 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted a historic resolution titled “End Plastic Pollution: Towards an Internationally Legally Binding Instrument.” The second negotiation session was held in Paris, France, from May 29 to June 2, 2023.
To mark this occasion and contribute to this important process, the City of Paris organized its first International Forum to End Plastic Pollution in Cities on May 26, 2023, at the Climate Academy in Paris.

A side event with two goals

With just a year until the opening of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, hosting the second round of negotiations for the International Plastic Treaty in Paris was an opportunity to highlight the city’s long-standing ambition of becoming a “zero single-use plastic” city.
This event had two main objectives: first, to showcase cities that have implemented ambitious actions to reduce single-use plastics, thereby creating momentum and encouraging replication; and second, to provide negotiators with recommendations from these cities to influence the negotiations and amplify their voices.

Bringing people together

The number of stakeholders involved in organizing this event (United Nations Environment Programme, World Economic Forum, NGOs, international city networks) made this conference a complex event requiring meticulous coordination. Ensuring smooth logistics was a top priority for us, requiring thorough preparation in a very short timeframe!
Our mission involved triple coordination: managing the diverse and international stakeholders to finalize the conference program, coordinating the speakers participating in the panel discussions, and overseeing the vendors and volunteers on the day of the event to welcome the 200 expected attendees under the best conditions.
The City of Paris needed experienced operational resources that could quickly step in and assist with many organizational aspects.

A blend of substance and style

GreenFlex and 148, two entities committed to and passionate about environmental issues, partnered for this adventure, requiring both fluidity and responsiveness. GreenFlex brought its expertise in ecological transition for organizations and communities, while 148, as a B Corp-certified agency, provided its event management expertise.
On the “substance” side, GreenFlex handled the program, prepared the panel discussions, coordinated the speakers, and even facilitated the conference :-)
On the “style” side, we managed the overall coordination of the day with international partners and vendors, anticipated and addressed the logistical needs of the conference and panels, created the event’s brand identity, and harmonized the communication materials. We also managed invitations and registrations, provided technical support (translation booths, interpreters, sound, lighting, live streaming), coordinated the staff, and created the scenography.
Key moments and numbers :
Opening speech by the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo Introduction by the UN Deputy Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNEP, Inger Andersen 500 participants, including 300 online Over 20 countries partnered in the event 22 speakers (experts, mayors, scientists) 4 panel discussions on combating plastic pollution

We had one month to dive into the topic, understand the issues, and meet the constantly evolving expectations of 18 international partners to concretely organize this event. It was a real sprint, and the sense of accomplishment at the end was incredibly rewarding !
Séverine, Project Manager at 148