Bringing Plastics into Focus

adelphi research has been working and researching on the issue of plastics pollution and potential political solutions for many years. To learn more about these, you can find an overview of our experts’ key insights as well as selected projects, publications, and media appearances below.

Key Insights: The Plastics Issue Explained

An international conference in the south of Uruguay, in the small town of Punta del Este, marked the start of a marathon of negotiations on an internationally legally binding instrument to combat plastic pollution. Learn more about the plastic problem, the negotiations on an international plastic agreement and the open letter from SWITCH-Asia in this article, which includes an interview with adelphi research expert Per-Olof Busch: Start of negotiations on a global plastics agreement.

Round 2: The Quest for a Global Agreement on Plastics

The Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC2) showed a clear divide between the 'waste faction' and the 'upstream faction'. The former, comprising countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, India, and Brazil, emphasized proper waste management, while the latter, including the EU Member States, Norway, Rwanda, and others, viewed plastic pollution as a broader issue encompassing production. States managed to voice their views and agreed on a mandate to develop a first draft negotiation text. Challenges included deciding on binding versus voluntary measures, defining problematic plastics and chemicals, supporting implementation through global initiatives, and resolving procedural issues. The outcome of the treaty remains uncertain.

Selected Projects

Plastic issues in Asia: topics, challenges and prospects in a global context

Asia is considered a region of great importance for a successful negotiation and effective implementation of a global agreement on plastics. Against this background, adelphi supports the European Union-funded SWITCH-Asia Sustainable Consumption Production Facility to foster collaboration with key stakeholders in Asia and to raise awareness, build capacity and reach a common understanding of the plastics problem and possible solutions in the region.

SWITCH Asia Policy Support Component (PSC) - Implementing sustainability and circular economy in Asia

Furthermore, adelphi supports the SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component through consultancy services, implements regional and cross-country approaches to scaling Sustainable Consumption Production policies, provides technical advice and knowledge sharing, and supports capacity building of regional institutions.

PROTOPRINT: Socio-economic Transformation by Empowering Informal Waste Pickers to Produce 3D Printing Filaments in Pune

Another project by the SWITCH-Asia Programme: India's rapid economic growth has lifted many of its citizens out of poverty, yet it has also resulted in a surge of waste, particularly plastic waste. Waste collection remains predominantly the domain of female waste pickers, who often struggle with marginalization and insufficient compensation. Recognizing their pivotal role in transitioning India's plastic sector toward circularity, Social Seva Initiatives (SSI), in partnership with the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) and the waste picker cooperative SWaCH, developed the Protoprint™ Initiative. This innovative technology converts high-density polyethylene (HDPE) waste into high-value 3D printing filament, thereby empowering waste pickers to become profitable micro-entrepreneurs. adelphi research`s research component will focus on identifying market access points through country profiles, connecting recycled 3D printing filament producers with potential buyers, and further advancing the project's impact and sustainability goals.

Prevention of Plastic Waste in Central America and the Caribbean – Belize

Recycling systems in Central America and the Caribbean are often inadequate, leading to plastic waste ending up in landfills instead. The private sector also lacks capacity for sustainable waste management, and awareness of plastic pollution's environmental impact is low. The regional "Caribe Circular" project, addressed these challenges by enhancing the political, economic, and social frameworks to prevent plastic waste leakage. adelphi supported this initiative by facilitating country-specific activities in Belize, promoting regional exchange among stakeholders, and identifying opportunities to involve the private sector in innovative value chains for plastic waste management. 

Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR)

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) is committed to supporting several Caribbean nations in their efforts to stem the flow of plastic waste, primarily packaging, into the Caribbean Sea. The PROMAR project aims to quantify and map plastic waste streams, establish monitoring systems at local authorities in selected demonstration sites, and implement pilot circular economy solutions to reduce plastic waste entering aquatic environments. adelphi research is leading various activities, including material flow analyses, the development and dissemination of waste management tools and best practices, and facilitating transnational policy dialogues. 

Prevention of Marine Litter in the Lakshadweep Sea bordering the Maldives, India and Sri Lanka

Marine ecosystems, particularly in the Lakshadweep Sea shared by Maldives, Sri Lanka, and India, face significant pollution challenges, primarily from land-based sources and tourism-related activities. In response, the "Prevention of Marine Litter in the Lakshadweep Sea" initiative, PROMISE, aims to promote source-to-sea solutions to mitigate marine littering in tourism clusters while enhancing the economic well-being of local communities. adelphi research collaborates with project partners to reduce waste from the tourism sector and ensure proper waste management practices before waste reaches the ocean. Activities include material flow analysis and cost accounting to establish a comprehensive understanding of marine littering in tourism clusters. 

Global plastics treaty: engaging and supporting Asia-Pacific

In November 2022, member states of the United Nations started negotiating a Global Plastics Treaty with the aim of ending plastic pollution. adelphi provides support and guidance to national governments across the Asia-Pacific region in their engagement with the negotiations. This is tailored to meet the specific needs of each government and their delegations. Services range from compiling and disseminating pertinent evidence on plastic pollution and the negotiation process to conducting analyses on key issues and proposed solutions, including stakeholder interests and state positions. adelphi also facilitates dialogues to foster exchanges between regional governments and stakeholders, as well as with the European Union. 

“Financing Toolbox” for a Legally Binding Global Plastics Treaty

Diverse perspectives among delegates regarding financing solutions during the negotiations have underscored the complexity of these discussions. Recognizing the critical importance of navigating these challenges, adelphi developed a comprehensive financing toolbox, which serves as an impartial and accessible resource, offering negotiators a clear understanding of various financing options proposed within and surrounding the treaty negotiations. It aims to empower negotiators in developing an optimal outcome for mobilizing, accessing, and utilizing financial resources for the treaty's implementation. Distributed to all negotiators during the fourth session of negotiations in Ottawa, Canada, in April 2024, the toolbox equips stakeholders with essential insights to advance discussions and achieve effective and efficient financing solutions for the treaty's implementation.

Expert Pool on the Global Plastics Treaty in Support of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution (HAC)

With its diverse ensemble of experts, including the adelphi team, the Expert Pool represents a crucial step forward in the fight against plastic pollution, spearheaded by the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC) and the High Ambition Coalition (HAC). The pool brings extensive knowledge and expertise in circular economy principles, waste management strategies, recycling techniques, prevention of marine plastic pollution, and international negotiation dynamics, enabling effective navigation of challenges and opportunities in the quest to reduce plastic pollution and negotiate the Global Plastics Treaty.

Selected publications

Analysis of Upstream Economic Opportunities from change in the plastics life-cycle

Successful and effective responses to plastic pollution require initiatives, actions and activities that embark on a transition towards a more circular plastics economy. In this transition, companies in the upstream sector of the plastics value chain (plastic producers, manufacturers, commercial buyers) can assume great responsibility and benefit economically. This paper elaborates on how they can do so.

Identifying Solutions to the Plastics Challenge: A Practitioner's Briefing on Key Approaches

Much has been written about what a global agreement on plastics would need to do and how it should be designed. This practitioner’s brief, by contrast, lays out more hands-on solutions to the plastics challenge.

Plastics Use and Management: An analysis of the current status in Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka

States work out the details of how best to design a strong plastics treaty that is able to account for different national circumstances. How different such national circumstances can be is shown in this collection of country profiles, which illustrates the diversity of the Asian region. 

Reflections on a Global Agreement on Plastics

This paper summarises four key issues of global plastic governance: First, gaps in existing regulations and the lack of a holistic approach that includes the entire life cycle of plastics; second, the current unsustainable linear production and consumption model; third, knowledge gaps and scientific uncertainties and the need to improve exchanges between scientists and policymakers; and fourth, the need for a financing mechanism under a global agreement. For each of these issues, the paper highlights points that require special attention in the upcoming negotiations.

Advancing SCP Policy in the Tourism Sector: Responsible Plastics Management in the Maldives

This report provides details on potential actions that can be taken to improve the waste and plastics management in the Maldives. Its recommendations aim at establishing data collection systems, policy instruments, improving capacity and waste management infrastructure, and implementing an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for plastic packaging in the country. 

Global agreement to prevent plastic pollution – Exploring financing needs and opportunities

A crucial issue in the negotiations of the plastics agreement and an essential condition for its effectiveness will be the availability, mobilisation and delivery of financial resources. This study serves to inform decision-makers and other interested actors about options for a basic financial framework as well as different mechanisms for mobilising and delivering financial resources from public and private sources at national and international levels. The Nordic Council of Ministers has tasked adelphi with this analysis so that negotiators can use its recommendations in the further multilateral decision-making and negotiation processes.

Small Island Developing States and plastic pollution – Challenges and opportunities of a global agreement on plastic pollution for SIDS

This study outlines the particular challenges, needs and opportunities of small island developing states (SIDS) in the context of a global agreement on plastic pollution. They have so far been neglected in related debates. The study also provides options for SIDS to effectively voice their interests in the negotiations.

A binding global agreement to address the life cycle of plastics

In this article published in 2021 in the journal Science, adelphi-experts and other scientists identified three core goals and a number of supporting measures that would make the intergovernmental agreement on plastics effective.

Strengthen the Global Science and Knowledge Base to Reduce Marine Plastic Pollution

In the context of the negotiations on a global plastics agreement, scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders voiced requests for strengthening and improving the knowledge base. These requests often include demands for an interface between science and policy, such as a scientific advisory body. This body should also inform policies against plastic waste in the oceans and the need for a life cycle approach to marine plastic pollution that covers all stages in the plastics life cycle. This report, commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers, makes the case for such a body and discusses the conditions to make it work effectively towards increased knowledge on marine litter and microplastics.

In the media

• Podcast interview „LIVING IN A PLASTIC WORLD – Dritte Folge: Von Müllbergen und Zukunftsvisionen“, September 2023
• Podcast interview „Was das neue UN-Plastikabkommen bringen könnte“, 19 May 2023
• Guest article "Auf die Quelle kommt es an" (German) by Luisa Schulte and Per-Olof Busch in the Frankfurter Rundschau, 9 March 2022
• Radio interview "UN-Plastikabkommen: Erfolgreiche Weichenstellung?" with Per-Olof Busch on Deutschlandfunk radio, 3 March 2022