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

Conclusion

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desired outcome unless States are provided with sufficiently strong incentives to implement them. Experience shows that national implementation of agreed policy measures cannot be taken for granted. How to deal with the risk of free riding and generate confidence in compliance with the provisions of a new agreement are key questions in need of further consideration. If these challenges can be overcome, a new global agreement might turn out to be an important, if not indispensable, tool for tackling the harmful consequences of marine plastic pollution. First, it could generate a more precise shared

understanding of marine plastic pollution as an issue of transboundary concern and provide a strong basis for coordinated international action. Second, by articulating a common regulatory response, a new global agreement could focus and provide greater clarity and direction to efforts to address marine plastic pollution at international, regional, and national levels. And third, by establishing common institutional structures, a new agreement could strengthen international collaboration, facilitate financial burden sharing, and help States devise increasingly effective solutions as the causes and impacts of marine plastic pollution become better understood.

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