Plastic pollution and marine litter have emerged as pressing environmental challenges of our time, impacting the health of our oceans and ecosystems. With the relentless production and disposal of plastic materials, our planet has become a dumping ground for an alarming array of plastic debris. From microplastics, to larger plastic items like bottles and bags, these pollutants pose a threat to marine life, the food chain, human health and the delicate balance of our planet's aquatic environments.
In this era of heightened environmental awareness, addressing the issue of plastic pollution and marine litter has become an urgent global imperative, demanding concerted efforts from individuals, communities, and governments worldwide.
Ecological status and trends
Plastics make up a significant portion of marine litter, with estimates suggesting that more than eight million metric tonnes of plastic enter the oceans every year. Plastic waste, ranging from microplastics to large debris, continues to accumulate in marine environments, posing a severe threat to our ecosystems. From entanglement and ingestion by marine species to the disruption of food chains, plastic pollution wreaks havoc on marine life. The situation is further exacerbated by the persistence of plastics, which can take hundreds of years to degrade, exacerbating the long-term environmental impact. To mitigate these trends, urgent global action is required, including improved waste management, plastic reduction strategies, and enhanced international cooperation to safeguard the health and biodiversity of our planet.
Why does it matter?
Combating plastic pollution including in the marine environment is imperative as it safeguards ecosystems in particular marine from irreversible damage and preserves biodiversity. It also prevents the proliferation of microplastics through the food chain, protecting human health. By addressing plastic pollution and marine litter, we not only ensure the vitality of our oceans but also promote a sustainable future for both the environment and humanity. The UN Environment Assembly has recognized the importance of this issue in five resolutions on the subject namely 1/6, 2/11, 3/7, 4/6 and 5/14. Resolution (5/14) requested the Executive Director of the UNEP to convene an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, which is to be based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal
What does UNEP do?
To prevent and address this pressing issue, the Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter (GPML) was formed in 2012. The GPML is a multi-stakeholder partnership which brings together all the actors working on plastic pollution and marine litter reduction. The GPML has played a major role in bringing together different actors to strengthen coordination, implement and scale up efforts to tackle plastic pollution and marine litter worldwide. The GPML now has over 630 member organizations, established four Communities of Practice (CoPs), which support the convening and coordination of multiple actors with the aim of enhancing co-solution efforts, six established Regional Nodes, and a dedicated knowledge-sharing and multi-stakeholder collaboration tool, the GPML Digital Platform. The Source-to-Sea Pollution Unit of UNEP provides secretariat services to the GPML.
Some of the activities that are being undertaken by the Unit is provision of support to countries through the:
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Capacity development to catalyze actions and commitments at the national and global level to reduce plastic pollution including in the marine environment” project, which aims to support countries undertake enabling activities to successfully address plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, through the development and implementation of legal and collaborative frameworks and strategic planning, such as through the development of a national source inventory and national roadmaps/strategies/plans on plastic pollution and marine litter;
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Promotion of Action Against Marine Plastic Litter in Asia project, which aims to promote science-based and evidence-driven action to reduce and prevent the influx of plastic into Asian rivers through the formulation of bankable project proposal in countries in Asia and strengthening regional, national, and local capacities for enhanced systematic approach for plastic pollution management.
Other activities include the continued development of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)on plastic pollution, and a masterclass on Unnecessary, Avoidable and Problematic (UAP) Plastic Products and Polymers which aim to strengthen scientific knowledge, inform stakeholders and raise awareness of plastic pollution and marine litter.
This work contributes to component 3 of the UNEP One Plastics Initiative, which aims to tackle plastic pollution by creating an environment of empowering policies that enable a radical market transformation towards a resource-efficient circular economy of plastics.
As a member of the GPML, you will have access to a global audience to share your knowledge and experience, and work with other members to create and advance solutions.
Sign up and register your entity to become a GPML member here.
The GPML Digital Platform offers a single point of access for current, accurate data and information on plastic pollution and marine litter and related topics, and it provides a wide range of materials to support stakeholders’ needs, ranging from scientific research to technological innovation and public outreach, in order to inform decision-making, educate and raise awareness, facilitate target setting, and advance stakeholders’ cooperation and coordination.
Sign up to the GPML Digital Platform and begin sharing and exploring resources here.
Governance and resolutions
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United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolution 4/6 Marine plastic litter and microplastics
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United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolution 3/7 Marine litter and microplastics
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United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolution 2/11 Marine plastic litter and microplastics
Facts
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Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas. (UNEP)
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Emissions of plastic waste into aquatic ecosystems are projected to nearly triple by 2040 without meaningful action. (UNEP)
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The volume of plastics in the ocean has been estimated to be around 75-199 million tonnes (UNEP)
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Approximately 7,000 million of the estimated 9,200 million tonnes of cumulative plastic production between 1950 and 2017 became plastic waste (UNEP)
“Related to” Topics (Climate Action, Pollution Action, etc.,)
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Pollution Action
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Nature Action
Resources
