The GFA Monitor report is built on five sustainability priorities and outlines the opportunities and actions required for fashion brands and retailers to shift to a net positive fashion industry by 2050. As outlined in the report, a net-positive fashion industry requires a holistic resource stewardship approach.

Aligning the use of resources by the fashion industry with the 1.5-degree pathway requires bold commitments and bold actions to drive decarbonisation, move away from extractive practices, and contribute to the socioeconomic development in operating regions. Policy can play a huge role in ensuring a unified approach to this. Global Fashion Agenda proactively advocates for policy changes and supportive measures that reinforce resource stewardship targets and prompts policymakers to take informed action to foster necessary change.

The goal to become climate neutral by 2050 is at the heart of the European Green Deal. In order to tackle the fashion industry’s share of responsibility, the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action’s renewed commitments that were announced at COP26 in 2021 presented a decarbonisation plan for the industry. Commitments include sourcing 100% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, sourcing of environmentally friendly raw materials, and phasing out coal from the supply chain by 2030.

The protection of resources at EU level is further tackled by other key policy initiatives including:

• The Annex to the proposal for a Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence which includes a reference to the prohibition of causing any measurable environmental degradation, such as harmful soil change, water or air pollution, harmful emissions or excessive water consumption or other impacts on natural resources
• The EU’s biodiversity strategy for 2030 establishing a long-term plan to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems
• The Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability through which the Commission supports the industry to substitute as much as possible and otherwise minimise the substances of concern in textile products placed on the EU market
• A forthcoming Commission initiative to address the unintentional release of microplastics in the environment announced under the EU Textiles Strategy.
• The recently released PFAS restriction proposal from 7 February 2023.

Global Fashion Agenda is one of the five members of the Steering Committee of the Policy Hub – Circularity for Apparel and Footwear. Our position papers and related advocacy actions can be found at www.policyhub.org