From Commitment to Capital: Plastic Reboot on Mobilizing Finance at the Eighth GEF Assembly - Plastic Reboot

How can finance and the private sector bridge the funding gap to address plastic pollution? That's the question Plastic Reboot set out to answer while on site at the Eighth GEF Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Mobilizing finance and engaging the private sector are critical to achieving Plastic Reboot's goals - especially as plastic pollution presents not only an environmental challenge, but also a financing and market systems challenge. While global commitments to address plastic pollution have accelerated, a significant gap remains between policy ambition and the scale of investment required to deliver systemic change - particularly for upstream and midstream solutions.

In many contexts, viable solutions exist, including reuse and refill systems, alternative delivery models, and circular product design. However, these solutions often struggle to attract investment due to perceived risks, fragmented markets, limited project aggregation, and misalignment between public policy and private sector incentives.

In the GEF Assembly Side Event 'From Commitment to Capital: Mobilizing Finance and Private Sector Engagement to End Plastic Pollution' held on June 4 2026, Plastic Reboot explored how integrated approaches can translate commitments into investable opportunities by leveraging governance reform, innovation, and private sector engagement to help de-risk investments, align incentives, and mobilize private capital at scale, thereby supporting the transition to a circular economy for plastics.

Drawing on implementation experience from the Plastic Reboot Integrated Program and other relevant initiatives, the session highlighted lessons from engaging the private sector to advance upstream and midstream solutions, including reuse and refill systems, alternatives to problematic plastics, and circular product design.

The event featured many notable speakers including Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, Julio Cordano, Ambassador of Chile and INC Chair, Nik Sekhran, Chief Conservation Officer of WWF, and Evelyn Swain, Senior Specialist of the GEF.

The voice of the private sector was also highlighted throughout the event - notably, President of The Coca Cola Foundation Carlos Pagoaga shared impactful remarks in a prerecorded statement:

"As a private sector funder, we recognize that capital alone is not enough. That’s why we work closely with organizations like WWF, UNDP, and others to help translate promising ideas into investable, real-world solutions… What’s especially encouraging is the progress we’re seeing when public, private, and civil society partners come together with aligned incentives and a focus on scale. Looking ahead, we have an opportunity—not just to sustain this momentum, but to accelerate it."

By focusing on what works in real-world implementation, the session contributed to ongoing efforts to mobilize finance and accelerate the transition towards a more circular and resource-efficient plastics economy.

Plastic Reboot is grateful to have had the opportunity share our insights with GEF Assembly attendees while on the ground in Samarkand. Thank you to all who supported an incredible event!

See more photos from the event below: