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

Figure 4: International instruments and their application to marine plastic litter

Instrument

Acronym

Designation

Binding/voluntary Gaps in addressing plastic pollution

Protection of the marine

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Does not expressly address marine plastic litter or microplastics

Legally binding global instrument

UNCLOS

environment from all sources of pollution

Requirement to carry onboard a garbage management plan applies only to vessels 100 gross tonnage (GT) or more / garbage record book required only for ships 400 GT and ships certified to carry 15 persons or more

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships

Address marine pollution from ships

Legally binding global instrument

MARPOL

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter

International dumping into the sea from ocean sources

Limited to international disposal of plastics at sea from ocean sources

Legally binding global agreement

London Convention

Scope limited to certain chemicals used in production of certain plastics Scope limited to waste trade; plastics not defined as hazardous waste, although recently mixed plastics waste included in Annex 2 Soft law instrument; no specific targets to prevent, reduce, or eliminate marine plastic litter or marine litter Does not provide specific targets to prevent, reduce, or eliminate marine plastic litter or microplastics

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Legally binding global instrument

Stockholm Convention Chemicals

Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and Their Disposal Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land- based Activities Honolulu Strategy: A Global Framework for Prevention and Management of Marine Debris

Hazardous wastes and other wastes

Legally binding global instrument

Basel Convention

Non-binding governmental mechanism

All land-based pollution

GPA

All land and ocean sources of marine debris

Honolulu Strategy

Non-binding strategy

Source: UNEP, 2017. Combating marine plastic litter and microplastics: An assessment of the effectiveness of relevant international, regional and subregional governance strategies and approaches.

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