Exploring the Option of a New Global Agreement on Marine Plastic Pollution – A Guide to the Issues

The story so far

Figure 1: Overview of existing frameworks and legal instruments

To further explore barriers to combating marine litter and microplastics, and to consider the costs, benefits, feasibility, and effectiveness of possible response options, UNEA-3 established an ad hoc open-ended expert group (AHEG). 24 The AHEG, which met in two sessions in 2018 (Nairobi and Geneva), covered a broad range of questions around barriers and response options. 25 During the exchange of views, experts highlighted the “urgent need for action”, noting that, while “prevention is paramount”, it was also “critical to address legacy marine litter and microplastics already in the environment”.

While it was recognized that a number of existing international agreements provided opportunities for strengthening the global governance framework on this issue, “many representatives said that a new legally binding instrument was necessary to adequately address the threat of marine litter, given the scale and complexity of the challenge”. The report from the second AHEG meeting included an annex with “potential options for continued work for consideration” by UNEA. Among these were proposals related to the “need to strengthen the science-policy interface at the international level”, as well as the option

24 United Nations official document UNEP/EA.3/Res.7, para. 10(d). 25 For the official report, see United Nations official documents UNEP/AHEG/2018/1/6 and UNEP/AHEG/2018/2/5.

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