21 April 2021
Report Explores Scientific Mechanism Options for a Marine Plastics Convention
Photo Credit: Dustan Woodhouse on Unsplash
story highlights

In response to growing interest for global negotiations on marine plastic pollution, the Nordic Council of Ministers released a report on the requirements for an effective science-policy interface to support such a global agreement.

The report details options to ensure that a global scientific mechanism on marine liter and microplastics has the credibility, legitimacy, salience and relevance, and agility to successfully contribute to the science-policy interface that it would be established for.

To support the global policy discussions on a new global agreement to combat plastic pollution, the Nordic Council of Environment and Climate Ministers commissioned a report on how the science and knowledge base on this issue could be strengthened. The report – ‘Strengthening the Global Science and Knowledge Base to Reduce (Marine) Plastic Pollution’ – also explores how to structure an evidence-based policy-making process for global policy making to combat plastic pollution.

Report Launch

The report was launched virtually on 20 April 2021. Per-Olof Busch, Senior Researcher, adelphi, presented the report, which he said was written in response to momentum for starting global negotiations on marine plastic pollution. He reviewed the report’s findings on the requirements for an effective science-policy interface to support such a global agreement.

The report makes the case for a global scientific mechanism and its key functions, and identifies requirements, design elements and practices of effective global scientific mechanisms. It also explores three options for the institutional setting – an intergovernmental panel, a scientific body under a multilateral agreement, and an integrated scientific mechanism under an intergovernmental organization.

Busch said while the existing global science and knowledge base on marine litter and microplastics indicates that political action across the entire plastics life cycle is warranted, a global scientific mechanism on marine litter and microplastics should be established to strengthen the global science and knowledge base and to improve scientific policy advice across the plastics life cycle. He said decisions about the design of such a mechanism are more important than decisions on its institutional setting.

The report identifies several key functions for a global scientific mechanism on marine litter and microplastics:

  • Promote the use of life cycle approaches to marine litter and microplastics;
  • Consider the regional heterogeneity of the problem;
  • Increase the coherence and consistency in knowledge assessments at global and regional levels;
  • Improve the dialogue among scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders; and
  • Provide easy access to scientific knowledge, data and information by establishing a clearing-house mechanism.

The report details options to ensure that a global scientific mechanism on marine liter and microplastics has the credibility, legitimacy, salience and relevance, and agility to successfully contribute to the science-policy interface that it would be established for.

Panel Discussion

Nils Simon, adelphi, moderated a panel discussion to launch the report. Panelists stressed that key elements to include in a scientific mechanism are ability to respond rapidly to emerging issues, transparency of institutional processes, and incorporation of social sciences and local knowledge in research inquiries. Panelists also discussed the need for a strong ability to communicate results. In this regard, a panelist noted the risk of manipulation of science, pointing to the cases of tobacco, climate, and hazardous chemicals, and said scientists need to be prepared to respond to misinformation and manipulations of science.

Panelists said it would be crucial to have an approach that addresses plastics across their life cycle, and that doesn’t establish silos between land-based and sea-based pollution.  

A panelist noted that the issue of trade-offs should be considered, noting that plastics are often “demonized” but little is said about alternatives. Another suggested that understanding people’s attachments to plastics will be an important area for inquiry.

Closing Remarks

In her closing remarks, Ingeborg Mork-Knutsen, Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment, highlighted that we need to have the best available science and knowledge to guide our actions, and said the Nordic Council of Ministers supported the development of this report with that objective in mind. She noted there is fragmentation in policy on this issue and called for a multidisciplinary approach with broad participation. She said her country hopes an intergovernmental negotiating committee will be established during the fifth meeting of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA 5) to move forward with negotiations on a marine plastics treaty. [SDG Knowledge Hub sources]

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