Agenda

The long-term implication of Covid-19 are likely to be both positive and negative. On the positive side, will be major digital transformations and greater focus on healthcare. On the negative side, we are likely to see rising income inequality and permanent job losses. On balance, long-term growth is likely to a little slower as a result of the pandemic.

COVID-19’s adverse impact on a broad range of industries has dominated discussions of plastics, especially. Against the backdrop of fragile global economic conditions, ongoing trade tensions, and a lower merchandise trade forecast, what can the U.S. plastics industry expect in 2020 and beyond? The coronavirus pandemic will continue to affect end-markets, both domestically and internationally, presenting challenges but also rare opportunities for agile businesses.

The greatest oil market shock of all-time will leave lasting impressions on oil demand, supply, and price. But the impact on energy goes well beyond oil. The composition and trajectory of all forms of energy demand have been altered by COVID-19. 

• Why our Chemical businesses’ growth ambitions are important for the group and how we plan to meet these.
• The economic context:
• How Shell sees the hugely disruptive current market conditions and the impact of Covid-19 on itself and the wider industry.
• How our chemicals business plans to thrive and the role technology and digitalization play in this.
• The environmental and sustainability context:
• Sustainability is no longer a buzzword. It’s a critical component of business.
• Overview of Shell’s net-zero emissions ambition by 2050 or sooner and discuss how Shell’s chemicals business can support that.
• Addressing the challenge of plastic-waste, our ambition to use 1 million tonnes of plastic waste as feedstock and where the circular economy fits into our future.
• An update on Shell’s exciting new Polymer business.
• Give latest on the Pennsylvania Chemicals project and our plans for our Polymers business
• How our Polymers business is using a beginner’s mindset to disrupt the industry

The President & CEO of the Plastics Industry Association will provide a general policy overview, as well as introduce the next key session with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), moderated by Vice President of Government Affairs at PLASTICS, Matt Seaholm.

Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced legislation to address the global marine debris crisis. The bill, Save Our Seas, would boost the federal government’s domestic and international response to ocean waste, and allow the NOAA Administrator to declare severe marine debris events and authorize additional funds to states, like Alaska, for cleanup and response efforts. Learn more about this legislation and Senators' efforts. In addition, Sen. Sullivan and Sen. Whitehead will also provide an overview of legislative priorities in the coming year.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of society. While the role of plastics in the world has been challenged for decades, the plastics industry has been a leader, a partner, a helper, a live-saver, a ground-breaker during one of the greatest public-health and economic crisis to date. Listen to these panelists describe their vital roles in combating this paramount threat to public health, and what can be expected as the “next normal.”

The ongoing trade discussion and tariff battles have presented challenges to the manufacturing community, specifically the plastics industry. Join Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX), along with PLASTICS’s Suzanne Morgan as moderator, as he discusses the current issues framing the trade debate and how it impacts the plastics industry supply chain.

Quick, agile plastic supply chains are essential to control costs and to respond to consumer demand post-pandemic. As the global plastics shipping industry continues to confront global pandemic market swings, more than ever before, shipping leaders will deploy all means available to increase shipping velocity, including: just-in-time inventory management, procure-to-pay process automation, transit time and freight costs gauging, control tower visibility, time slot management, shipper-of-choice intelligence, open APIs, smart contract management, and multi-channel integration. You will hear directly from ship operators, resin traders/forwarders/NVOCCs, port terminals, ocean and rail cargo shippers discussing the ways in which increased collaboration is contributing to supply chain speed and continuity in 2020 and beyond. 

A combination of market pressures, legislative requirements, and environmental stewardship have made sustainability and the circular economy a core focus across the entire plastics supply chain. In this session, you’ll hear from recipients of the most recent PLASTICS Re|Focus Sustainability Awards about the innovations that elevated their solutions to award-winning status.

UBQ Materials has developed an advanced conversion technology, patenting the world's first thermoplastic material made of unsorted household waste. A revolutionary way to divert waste from landfills and transform it into an effective, bio-based, recyclable material with infinite applications as a substitute for conventional plastics.

By taking organic materials that would otherwise decompose in landfills, UBQ Materials prevents the emission of methane and other toxins. Producing one ton of UBQ™ prevents 11.7 tons of CO2eq (GWP20) from polluting the environment, leading Quantis to define UBQ™ as ‘the most climate-positive thermoplastic material on the market’.

In this talk, Bigio will give an update on the climate positive products currently being created with UBQ™ throughout the plastics industry, helping numerous companies offset their carbon emissions. Bigio will explain why he believes UBQ™ has the potential to eliminate landfills, replace linear consumption models with a circular economy, and create a world where waste is no longer wasted.

Governments, industry, investors, and other stakeholders are increasingly interested in understanding the implications of energy transition on the competitiveness of upstream oil and gas operations. Greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity, or emissions per unit of output, has become a key metric of interest. In response oil and gas companies have increased disclosure, academia has produced more research, and various consultancies and non-governmental organizations are generating their own estimates. However, there are challenges with consistency which limit the comparability and ultimately use of these data. This presentation will discuss the implications of ESG pressure for greater disclosure of GHG emission intensity metrics in the oil and gas sector. It will discuss how the oil and gas industry is responding, the sources where estimates can diverge, particularly from third parties, and some key factors to consider when looking at GHG intensity estimates of oil and gas.