SPE WORKSHOP: What's Next: A Recap on UNEP 5.2 and a Look Ahead

  Roundtable

What's Next: A Recap on UNEP 5.2 and a Look Ahead

  September 25, 2025
  10:00–11:15 AM ET
  Online

Roundtable: What's Next: A Recap on UNEP 5.2 and a Look Ahead

  Summary

A roundtable discussion, hosted by Conor Carlin, SPE's UNEP Representative.

Discussion includes participants who were inside the room at the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) Fifth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Panelists will focus on:

  • What actually happened at UNEP INC-5.2
  • Impact on industry, academia, and sustainability leaders
  • How global negotiations may shape policy, regulations, and markets
  • What's coming next and how you can prepare

  Moderator

Conor is the founder and president of Clefs Advisory LLC, a boutique consulting firm advising start-ups and established companies at the nexus of materials, energy, and sustainability.

He was President (2024) for the Society of Plastics Engineers and was elected as the first Vice President of Sustainability for the association in 2017. In 2024 and 2025, he led the SPE delegation to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) INC5.1 & 5.2 global plastics pollution treaty discussions in S. Korea and Switzerland.

Conor is the co-author and editor of the 2nd edition of “Plastics & Sustainability: Grey is the New Green” published by Scrivener/Wiley (2021). In addition, his writing on sustainable materials management has been featured in industry publications in North America, Europe, and China.

With 20 years of experience leading commercial strategy in the materials, energy, and sustainability sectors, Conor brings a sharp focus to driving market expansion, leading high-value negotiations, and building brand equity. He has delivered multimillion dollar capital equipment and technology sales in US and international markets to Fortune 100 clients.

Conor has led several field consulting management projects covering energy efficiency software applications, 2nd generation cellulosic ethanol start-ups, wastewater treatment companies, and plastic recycling technologies.

He has degrees from Boston University (BA, International Relations / French) and the FW Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College (MBA). He currently serves as Committee Member for the Plymouth (Massachusetts) Climate Action Net Zero Board and the Recycling Committee.

  Panelists

Fiorella Danjoy Acosta
Regional Director (Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Perú)
Recicla Latam

Fiorella is a lawyer with over 17 years of experience in corporate law, sustainable development and public affairs. Throughout her career, she has held various leadership positions and contributed to the development of public policies.

She currently serves as Regional Director at NGO Recicla Latam where she leads waste management programs in Perú, Colombia and Ecuador. Additionally, she is member of the Leaders Group for Peru´s National Plastic Action Platform and a member of the advisory committee of the Environmental Administration and Management Program of San Ignacio de Loyola University.

Fiorella promotes social inclusion, equality, sustainability, and the Circular Economy.

Tania Ferlin is a passionate and energetic sustainability professional with a wide range and depth of experience spanning advocacy, government affairs, ESG strategy, social impact, employee engagement, culture strategy and building, partnership management, and communications. As Director of Sustainability Advocacy at Husky Technologies™, Tania embraces the role of both a strategic and tactical leader, as she heads the strategy, implementation, and coordination of the company’s sustainability advocacy and ESG strategy.

Prior to joining Husky, Tania grew a successful career in the hospitality industry, where she led the awareness movement in North America of Human Trafficking, speaking to and educating tens of thousands of industry professionals on the issue. Now, she is eagerly championing another worthy cause – advocating for the Circular Economy of plastics.

Julie Pieters (Belgian) is the EU Policy Affairs Manager at European Bioplastics, with a strong background in law and diplomacy. She holds a master’s degree in law from the Free University of Brussels and an LLM in European Law from Panthéon-Assas (Paris). In her current role at European Bioplastics, Julie engages with policymakers, stakeholders, and industry leaders to ensure that biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastic solutions are integrated into European regulatory frameworks.

  Registration Information

All AttendeesFREE

 
1 Session
 
Total Hours: 1 ¼ Hours
 
Streaming access on desktop and mobile browsers

  Questions?

Contact customerrelations@4spe.org.


This educational program is provided as a service of SPE. The views and opinions expressed on this or any SPE educational program are those of the Speaker(s) and/or the persons appearing with the Speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. (SPE) or its officials, employees or designees. To comment or to present an opposing or supporting opinion, please contact us at info@4SPE.org.

Refund Policy

Full refund 30 days prior to the event start date. Please contact customerrelations@4spe.org for assistance with registration.

Copyright & Permission to Use

SPE may take photographs and audio/video recordings during the conference, pre-conference meetings and receptions that may include attendees within sessions, networking areas, exhibition areas, and other areas associated with the conference both inside and outside of the venue. By registering for this event, all attendees are providing permission for SPE to use this material at its discretion on SPE's websites, marketing materials, and publications. SPE retains ownership of copyright to all photographs and audio/video recording obtained at this event and attendees may request copies of any material in which they are included.

Anti-Trust Statement

  1. No discussion among members, volunteers, or staff, which attempts to arrive at any agreement regarding prices, terms or conditions of sale, distribution, volume, territories, or customers;
  2. No activity or communication which might be construed as an attempt to prevent any person or business entity from gaining access to any market or customer for goods or services or any business entity from obtaining services or a supply of goods;
  3. No activity or communication which might be construed as an agreement to refrain from purchasing or using any materials, equipment, services or supplies of or from any supplier; or
  4. No other activity which violates anti-trust or applicable laws aimed at preventing unfair competition.
spe2018logov4.png
Welcome Guest!   Login