Global Partnership on Marine Litter

Global Partnership on Marine Litter
Name	Global Partnership on Marine Litter
Formation	2012
Type	International partnership
Headquarters	Nairobi
Parent organization	United Nations Environment Programme

Global Partnership on Marine Litter is an international initiative convened to coordinate efforts addressing marine litter and plastic pollution through multilateral action, technical assistance, and policy guidance. The partnership engages actors across the United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Environment Assembly, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and regional bodies such as the European Commission and African Union to advance measures against marine debris. It promotes linkages among stakeholders including the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, Global Environment Facility, G20, and civil society networks like the World Wide Fund for Nature and Greenpeace International.

Overview

The partnership functions as a global platform aligning initiatives from the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP Regional Seas Programme, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, World Health Organization, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to tackle sources and impacts of marine litter. It synthesizes scientific evidence from institutions like the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Pew Charitable Trusts, Smithsonian Institution, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to inform policy instruments such as the Basel Convention, London Convention, and discussions within the United Nations General Assembly. Partners coordinate with national authorities including Ministry of Environment (Kenya), Ministry of Environment (Norway), Environmental Protection Agency (United States), and regional secretariats like the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.

History and Formation

The initiative was launched following calls in multilateral fora including the United Nations Environment Assembly and the UNEP/FAO/IOC Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities. Early endorsement came from stakeholders at meetings hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme and donor consultations with the Global Environment Facility and European Commission. Development drew on scientific assessments from the International Maritime Organization, reports by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, and civil society campaigns by Ocean Conservancy and Surfrider Foundation that highlighted plastic accumulation in regions such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and coastal zones near the Gulf of Mexico.

Objectives and Strategic Priorities

Core objectives mirror agendas advanced by the United Nations Environment Programme, Sustainable Development Goal 14, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: reduce marine litter inputs, improve waste management infrastructure, advance circular economy practices championed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and strengthen science-policy interfaces exemplified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change process. Strategic priorities include capacity building aligned with United Nations Development Programme country programmes, technical guidelines inspired by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and legal instruments comparable to the Basel Convention amendments on plastic waste.

Governance and Membership

Governance is structured around a secretariat hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi, advisory groups including members from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, and technical partners such as the International Solid Waste Association, International Maritime Organization, and academic centers like Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Membership spans national governments including Japan, Germany, Kenya, Brazil, regional bodies such as the European Commission and Association of Southeast Asian Nations, intergovernmental organizations like the United Nations Development Programme, philanthropic bodies including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and non-governmental organizations such as Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy.

Programs and Initiatives

The partnership convenes thematic working groups on waste management, riverine inputs, and circular economy transitions, collaborating with technical programmes like the Global Plastic Action Partnership, pilot projects funded by the Global Environment Facility, and research consortia at universities including University of California, Santa Barbara and University of Oxford. Initiatives include support for municipal waste upgrades similar to projects by the World Bank, river clean-up collaborations informed by studies from the University of Manchester and deployment of monitoring protocols used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the European Environment Agency.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Collaborative links span multilateral agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, International Maritime Organization, and financing institutions like the Asian Development Bank and European Investment Bank. It interfaces with private sector coalitions including the Consumer Goods Forum and standards bodies such as the International Organization for Standardization, and coordinates with civil society networks like Ocean Conservancy, Greenpeace International, and research networks including the Global Ocean Observing System.

Funding and Resource Mobilization

Funding mechanisms draw from grants and technical assistance channels of the Global Environment Facility, concessional loans from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, bilateral contributions from governments such as Germany and Japan, philanthropic support from entities like the Rockefeller Foundation, and private sector co-financing aligned with corporate commitments from multinationals registered with the United Nations Global Compact.

Impact, Monitoring, and Criticism

The partnership reports progress through indicators consistent with Sustainable Development Goal 14 and monitoring frameworks used by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, while scientific validation draws on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and academic meta-analyses in journals affiliated with the Royal Society. Criticism has arisen from stakeholders citing challenges similar to those noted in debates over the Basel Convention amendments, including concerns about implementation capacity in low-income states, effectiveness of voluntary corporate commitments highlighted in reviews by Chatham House, and the need for binding international regulation advocated by proponents of a global treaty on plastic pollution discussed in the United Nations Environment Assembly.

Category:Marine pollution Category:United Nations Environment Programme