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. In view of the global extent of this pollution and its considerable ecological, social and economic consequences, a large number of different actors had been calling for such a treaty for years.

In this project, adelphi supports and advises national governments from the Asia-Pacific region on the issues and proposed solutions in the negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty. The support and advice are oriented towards the needs of the governments and their delegations in the international negotiations. They include, but are not limited to

• preparation and communication of existing evidence on plastic pollution and the international negotiations;
• analyses on issues, contents, and proposed solutions in the international negotiations, including the interests and positions of states and stakeholders; and
• organization of dialogues for exchanges between national governments and other stakeholders within the region, or between the Asia-Pacific region and the European Union.

With this project, adelphi aims to

• increase national governments' awareness of plastic pollution and the negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty;
• strengthen and build capacity in the countries to participate effectively in the international negotiations; and
• develop and promote a common understanding on ways to reduce plastic pollution that takes into account the entire life cycle of plastic and is based on the concept of a circular economy.

The project is funded as Plastics Governance Engagement by the European Union under the SWITCH-Asia program and its Policy Support Component. It is active in over 40 countries in Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific.