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Enabling a successful transition to a circular plastic economy in Africa
Summary
This chapter examines efforts and barriers to transitioning toward a circular plastic economy in Africa, including infrastructure gaps, policy environments, and industry dynamics. Effective plastic circularity in African nations would significantly reduce the volume of plastic that ultimately reaches marine environments as microplastics.
There has been a significant push to transition from the current linear, take, make, use and dispose economy to a more circular system in which materials remain in the economy for a long time and at a high value. This push is particularly prominent in the plastic sector. Many actions towards a more circular plastic economy are occurring, including in Africa. But transitioning to a circular plastic economy faces several barriers in Africa and will require that enabling conditions are in place for success. This chapter discusses these barriers and enabling conditions. It begins by discussing the plastic pollution challenge, including the global and Africa-specific context and impacts. It then discusses the barriers and enablers, including regulatory and institutional, economic and financial, technology and capacity, and societal and cultural. This chapter concludes with the importance of the systems thinking approach in developing solutions for a transition to a circular plastic economy and the need for the government to play a leading role in this transition.
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