In an article published on December 12, 2018, non-governmental organization Plastic Pollution Coalition informed that “the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) and several global environmental agreements have taken an interest in plastic pollution, especially marine plastic litter and microplastics, recognizing it as a serious and rapidly growing issue of global concern which requires an urgent and global response.” In response to this commitment, UN Environment formed an Ad-Hoc Open-Ended Expert Group (AHOEEG), tasked with presenting “options to combat marine plastic litter and microplastics for global consideration of member states, experts, and civil society.” The 2nd AHOEEG meeting took place on December 3-7, 2018, in Geneva, Switzerland (FPF reported).
During this meeting, “a joint call for an international legally binding agreement on plastics and plastic pollution” was voiced. Further, a proposed “four-pillar strategy” for dealing with plastic pollution was endorsed by “more than 90 organizations worldwide.” The strategy focuses on “coordination and cooperation of existing mechanisms; binding measures to reduce plastic pollution and harmonize legislation; financial support for a new institution and participating developing countries; and technical support to ensure informed, science-based decision-making and avoid false solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.”
Further details on “UNEA progress on plastics” can be found in the AHOEEG newsletters issued on December 6 and 11, 2018.
Read more
Plastics Pollution Coalition (December 12, 2018). “Plastic pollution on the World’s stage in Geneva, Switzerland.”
UNEA AHOEEG (December 6, 2018). “Progress on Plastics Update. Issue 7.” (pdf)
UNEA AHOEEG (December 11, 2018). “Progress on Plastics Update. Issue 8.” (pdf)
