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This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the role of non-party trade provisions in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) to provide guidance for the development of a future international treaty to end plastic pollution. It argues that trade restrictions on non-parties are essential to incentivize ratification, prevent 'free-riding', and ensure the overall effectiveness of environmental treaties.

This report by WWF South Africa assesses the socio-economic and environmental impacts of banning and phasing out 10 high-risk plastic products in South Africa. Using a dynamic input-output model, the study compares a business-as-usual baseline against two scenarios: an immediate ban of four products by 2025 and a phased withdrawal of six products by 2030. The findings suggest that while plastic production jobs would decrease, overall GDP and employment would expand, and significant costs associated with environmental externalities would be saved.

This report analyzes household waste practices in Bangkok, finding that 75% of waste is thrown out as trash despite high reported attitudes in favor of sorting. Organic waste is the largest component (83% of total weight) and the most difficult to manage. The study highlights the critical role of informal waste workers and economic incentives in driving recycling, while recommending that the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority prioritize organic waste and integrate informal workers into holistic waste management models.

This policy brief provides an overview of the WTO Dialogue on Plastics Pollution, a member-led initiative launched in November 2020 to foster trade cooperation to reduce plastic pollution. It details the Dialogue's evolution, its three primary workstreams—crosscutting issues, promoting trade to tackle pollution, and circularity/reduction—and explores various policy options for international cooperation within the WTO framework, while emphasizing complementarity with other global efforts like the UNEA negotiations for a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.

This briefing note from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment outlines priority amendments to Bill S-5, which aims to modernize the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). The document advocates for strengthening the right to a healthy environment, improving transparency regarding harmful chemicals in consumer products, and establishing strict timelines for chemical assessments and risk management to protect public health and the environment.

The Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS) highlights that international trade in plastics exceeds USD 1 trillion, with significant 'hidden' trade flows (est. 70 million MT/year) omitted from statistics. While over 140 WTO-notified measures have been used to tackle pollution, TESS argues these are uncoordinated. They call for a global treaty to end trade in hazardous plastic waste, promote sustainable substitutes, and synchronize efforts across the WTO, OECD, and the Basel Convention.

This position paper by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues for comprehensive, binding EU legislation to reduce microplastic pollution. It emphasizes upstream prevention, the reduction of virgin plastic production, and sector-specific mandatory measures over voluntary agreements to protect human health and the environment.

This document provides a detailed comparison between the draft Rules of Procedure for the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) tasked with creating a global legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution (RoPsEPP) and the Rules of Procedure used for the Minamata Convention on mercury (RoPsM). It highlights key modifications in the draft, including expanded membership definitions, provisions for online participation, and changes to the accreditation and participation of non-governmental organizations.

This policy brief examines how Aid for Trade (AfT) and Official Development Assistance (ODA) can be leveraged to help developing and least developed countries transition to sustainable trade and circular economies to combat plastic pollution. It highlights a significant mismatch between the limited funding for plastic pollution mitigation and the massive financial flows supporting the petrochemical sector, while proposing specific short- and medium-term deliverables for WTO members through the Informal Dialogue on Plastic Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP).

This policy brief examines the role of the World Customs Organization's (WCO) Harmonized System (HS) in tracking international trade across the life cycle of plastics. It argues that current HS classifications lack the granularity needed for evidence-based policymaking to tackle plastic pollution and proposes specific amendments for the 2022–2027 cycle to improve transparency in trade flows of feedstocks, primary plastics, manufactured products, and waste.

This scoping study examines the plastic waste management and recycling value chain in Mombasa, Kenya. It identifies the stakeholders, institutional governance structures, and the policy and regulatory frameworks governing the sector. The report highlights the potential for a circular economy to create jobs and reduce environmental pollution, while detailing the significant socio-economic, financial, and regulatory barriers that currently limit the efficiency of plastic recovery and recycling in the region.

This policy brief provides a governance-focused overview of how the World Trade Organization (WTO) addresses the intersection of trade, environment, and sustainable development. It details the various institutional bodies, negotiating processes, and recent member-led initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable trade.

This report by WWF South Africa presents the economic rationale for transitioning from a linear 'take-make-waste' plastic packaging model to a circular plastics economy by 2050 in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and South Africa. Using computational general equilibrium (CGE) modelling, the study demonstrates that such a transition would lead to positive cumulative effects on GDP, employment, and consumer welfare across all three nations while significantly reducing the costs of environmental externalities.

This report by WWF South Africa examines the role of the informal waste sector in African cities, advocating for an "inclusive circular economy" that integrates reclaimers into formal waste management systems. It analyzes the operational status, socio-economic challenges, and policy landscapes of reclaimers in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda, arguing that their inclusion is essential for sustainable urban waste management and poverty alleviation.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Environmental Investigation Agency provides a textual comparison of two draft resolutions on plastic pollution submitted for UNEA 5.2: one led by Rwanda and Peru (RP) and one led by Japan (JP). The document analyzes convergences and divergences in mandate, scope, and institutional structure to support the potential merging of the resolutions.

An analysis by Carolyn Deere Birkbeck of the Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs regarding opportunities for the World Trade Organization (WTO) to address environmental crises and sustainable development during its 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12).

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law and GAIA argues that the concept of "net-zero plastic" is a greenwashing tactic used by the petrochemical industry to justify expanded production, asserting that plastic is inherently carbon-based and incompatible with climate solutions.

This policy brief examines the international standardization landscape regarding plastic pollution, arguing that current voluntary, industry-led standards are fragmented and insufficient on their own to combat pollution without government-led priorities and complementary regulatory frameworks.

This briefing examines the 25-year history and impact of the Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities, detailing its role in coordinating international efforts to combat marine pollution from terrestrial sources.

This policy brief examines the global plastic pollution crisis, arguing that current waste-management strategies are insufficient because they focus on the waste stage rather than the production stage. The author discusses the limitations of recycling, the role of the petrochemical industry, and the potential for a new global treaty to address the lifecycle of plastics.