Jacob Duer

Alliance to End Plastic Waste

President & Chief Executive Officer

Jacob Duer is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, the foremost, CEO-driven international membership organization focused on bringing together industry, government, communities, and civil society in the fight to help end plastic waste in the environment. Jacob is responsible for advancing the overall strategic vision of the Alliance. This includes the commitment to invest $1.5 billion over five years to deploy on-the-ground projects and infrastructure to increase the value of plastic waste streams and support the end of plastic waste in the environment. Jacob has over twenty years of experience with the United Nations with a focus on the environment and sustainable development. He previously served as Director of the Chemicals and Health Brand of the UN Environment Programme. He has a strong track record in policy work, intergovernmental negotiations, practical implementation and problem solving, coupled with strategic thinking and proactive leadership skills. Jacob has lived and worked with the UN in Austria, Senegal, Kenya and Switzerland. He holds a master’s degree in Management and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Aarhus in Denmark. He is also a Catto Fellow of the Aspen Institute in Washington DC and a member of the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network.

Sessions With Jacob Duer

Tuesday, 8 March

  • 02:50pm - 03:30pm (CST) / 08/mar/2022 08:50 pm - 08/mar/2022 09:30 pm

    Sustainability & Circularity: The changing world of chemicals & plastics
    Panel Downstream/Midstream/Chemicals

    Reducing the use of hydrocarbon feedstocks is arguably one of the most environmentally impactful goals for the chemical industry; second only to eliminating waste plastics from the global ecosystem. Recycling technology exists today that enables the industry to move beyond using waste plastics for simple energy recovery. These technologies, in combination with biomaterials, offer the potential to decouple certain plastics applications from hydrocarbon feedstocks. While conversations regarding limits on plastics production among policy makers and the industry are in early stages, one can begin to contemplate a “peak-production scenario” for certain plastics in the future. Sustainability and circularity pressures are increasing, and the chemicals and plastics industries are developing new business models in response. What does this mean for the future of consumer good made from plastics? How will producers in the plastics goods supply-chain respond to these emerging challenges? Are the economics of emerging business models viable in a “free market” system?

Thursday, 10 March

  • 10:30am - 11:00am (CST) / 10/mar/2022 04:30 pm - 10/mar/2022 05:00 pm

    Meetup - Alliance to End Plastic Waste Meet & Greet
    Carbon Management/Decarbonization

    Following from the Executive Conference discussion on “Sustainability & Circularity: The changing world of chemicals & plastics” earlier in the week, Jacob Duer, CEO of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) will be available along with other representatives from member companies from the alliance for an informal “meet and greet.” Join this exciting Meetup to learn more about how this organization is helping drive the shift to a more circular and sustainable world for plastics and chemicals.

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