Petrochemicals, Plastics, and Politics 

How the fossil fuel industry has taken over our lives and what it means

A 4-day workshop organized by the Centre for Financial Accountability in collaboration with Sambhaavnaa Institute

Background

As of 2021, India is the third largest consumer of energy in the world. According to the Indian Energy Agency Outlook 2021, India’s energy demand is going to nearly double by 2040. Oil and gas continue to play a significant role in meeting the country’s energy requirements. In fact, over one-third of the energy requirement of the country is currently met through hydrocarbons. 

The hydrocarbons derived from crude oil and natural gas provide the main feedstocks for deriving petrochemicals. Petrochemical industry mainly includes synthetic fibre, polymers, synthetic detergent intermediates, synthetic rubber, pharma intermediates, performance plastics and plastic manufacturing industry. Both hydrocarbon and petrochemical sectors are slated to grow in the coming decade. 

Further, big money is set to fuel the making of more plastics in India. The production of phenolics in India began in 1947 and the first thermoplastics (polystyrene) were made in 1957 (PlastIndia, 2019). In 2018-19, the production of plastics in India was 170 lakh tons (PlastIndia, 2019). According to the same report, the industry size was INR 5.1 lakh crore with around 4,000 converting units in 2018-19. 

The 15 polymer manufacturers are led by the private sector with public sector companies coming a distant second. For e.g. Between 75-80% of polypropylene demand in India is met exclusively by Reliance Industries and around 20% comes from four Government run companies—Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Haldia Petrochemicals, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL). According to the PlastIndia’s 2019 report, Reliance Industries Limited is the sole producer of LDPE and owns 42% of the total production capacity of commodity plastics with OPaL, a public sector joint venture company coming in at second place with 11% of total production.

The harmful impacts of plastic use and the pollution caused in its disposal phase are well documented. What needs specific attention though is impacts of plastic production on people, environment and the climate.

About the workshop

Why are some groups of people calling the plastic ban a false solution? Where does plastic come from? How are petrochemicals and plastics related? What do we need to do to end plastic pollution?
The workshop aims to help the participant understand what it takes to make plastics: from oil exploration, transportation of crude oil, refining, manufacturing of petrochemicals which are the raw materials for plastics, and the production of plastics.

Objectives

• Understand the relationship between the oil – petrochemical – plastics industry
• Deep dive into the petrochemical and plastics industries – structure, finances
• Unpack the popular narrative around plastics being an end-of-life issue creating false solutions
• Exploring real solutions and elements of a just transition

Methodology

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

Broad Schedule

Topic for the day	Key questions addressed	Key topics that will be discussed
Day 1: Plastics as an end of life issue – false narrative as false solutions’	1. Is waste a governance issue, a littering problem or is there a wider political context of waste? 2. What are the positive and negative impacts of the current resolutions to plastic waste?	– Introduction to Sambhaavnaa- Introduction: Participants and context of course- Understanding the plastic waste crises and the politics of waste.- Current solutions: Health, finance, environment and social costs of false solutions- Waste to Energy
Day 2: Plastics Industry	1. What is the nature of the plastics industry? Who are the players and what are the power dynamics operational? 2. What drives policy formation in the plastics industry in India and globally? Who are the workers in the plastics industry (waste pickers, waste workers etc)? 3. What are the impacts of this industry on their lives and livelihoods?	– Policy on the end of life (cover impact on street vendors and fish workers)- Overview of the plastic industry. Focus on the difference between SUP and MUP- Demand and supply patterns in the plastic industry- Policy on plastics production- Labour: Waste pickers, waste workersFilm Screening: Story of Plastics
Day 3: Politics of Oil, Gas and Petchem	1. What is the history of petrochemicals? Characteristics and nature of a fossil fuel-based economy 2. Understanding the lives of people living in petrochemical clusters in India	– History of petchem till current context – through this talk about oil and gas- Fossil fuel based economy: macro and micro economic issues, how the environment is kept in abeyance while talking about jobs and removing poverty when it does the opposite policy- Case Study: Land, labor, health, environment, climate, finance- Film Screening: Dark Waters
Day 4: What are the real solutions / Just Transition	1. Who is financing petrochemicals and plastics production? 2. What are the international and regional geopolitics of oil and gas? 3. What should our response be across the petrochemical and plastics lifecycle?  4. What should be the nature of a Just Transition in petrochemicals and plastics?	– Understanding the financial scenario of the petrochemical industry- Geo-politics of oil and gas- Strategies to reduce dependency on petchem and plastics (Single Use) and disposal- Key takeaways

Who is this workshop for: This is a call to all teachers, students, activists, community mobilizers, 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

Resource Persons:

Dharmesh Shah: is a public policy researcher who is also a senior advisor for the Delhi-based Lawyers Initiative for Environment and Forests. He also co-coordinates the global coalition of civil society engaging with the ongoing negotiations on the global plastics treaty.

Om Prakash Singh: He is a senior advisor at the Centre for Financial Accountability

Shibu Nair: has been active in movements and campaigns related to the environment and toxins since 1991. He entered the realm of environmental activism by organizing environmental education programs for schools in Kerala. He is one of the pioneers of the zero waste movement in India and led the zero waste campaigns and programs for Thanal – in South India. He is currently the Organics Coordinator at GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives)

Swathi Seshadri – Swathi is the team lead, of the Oil and Gas Team at the Centre for Financial Accountability. She has worked extensively on issues related to development and tourism.

Soumya Dutta: 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 Green Peace-India Environment Trust, and a Founding member: India-Climate-Justice (ICJ).

Dates and Venue: December 14 – 17 2022, Sambhaavnaa Institute, VPO – Kandbari, Tehsil – Palampur, District – Kangra, PIN 176061, Himachal Pradesh

Participant Contribution: We hope that participants would contribute an amount of Rs. 4,000/- towards workshop expenses, inclusive of all on-site workshop costs: boarding, lodging, and all the materials used in the workshop.

Do not let money be an impediment to your application. Need-based fee waivers are available. We have a limited number of scholarships so please apply for a fee waiver if you really need it. Do remember that there may be others who need it more than you. The fee waiver will be offered to people from marginalized groups and non-funded social, political, or student movements. Should you need travel support, please write to us and we will try and raise resources for a few participants for this.

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-mail: programs@sambhaavnaa.org

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