Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Managing plastic pollution in the Arctic ocean: An integrated quantitative flux estimate and policy study

Researchers quantified the amount of plastic entering and leaving the Arctic Ocean through rivers, sea ice, and ocean currents, and assessed the gap between existing pollution levels and current policy measures. The study found that Arctic plastic pollution is likely underestimated and that current regulations are insufficient to prevent further accumulation in this sensitive ecosystem.

2023 Polar Record 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Legal Approaches to Reduce Plastic Marine Pollution: Challenges and Global Governance

This review examined legal approaches to reducing marine plastic pollution and found that while international frameworks like the International Maritime Organization's MARPOL Annex V and regional agreements provide useful foundations, significant governance gaps and enforcement challenges remain in addressing the global scale of marine plastic contamination.

2021 ANNALS OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND PERSPECTIVE 32 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the Nexus and Utilities Between Regional and Global Ocean Governance Architecture

This paper analyzes the relationship between regional and global ocean governance frameworks, examining how they have co-evolved and how power dynamics shape their interaction. Effective ocean governance is critical for regulating plastic pollution, which requires coordinated action across national and international levels.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 16 citations
Article Tier 2

On the Challenge of Plastic Wastes and Litter in Oceans: Some Policy Reflections

This policy analysis discusses the growing crisis of plastic litter in the world's oceans, reviewing international agreements and national policies aimed at reducing ocean plastic pollution. The authors argue that current policy efforts fall far short of what is needed and propose stronger global governance frameworks.

2021 Environmental Policy and Law
Review Tier 2

Politics and the plastic crisis: A review throughout the plastic life cycle

This political science review analyzed over 180 studies on the governance of plastics across their full life cycle, finding that marine pollution and microplastics are driving the fastest growth in plastic policy research. The authors identify fragmented governance architectures and the absence of binding international agreements as major obstacles to addressing the global plastic crisis.

2019 Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Energy and Environment 466 citations
Article Tier 2

Governance solutions to the 'tragedy' of marine plastics

This paper analyzed the governance challenges of marine plastic pollution, framing it as a collective action problem similar to a tragedy of the commons and reviewing international governance frameworks for addressing it. The authors argue that current mechanisms are insufficient and propose strengthened global governance solutions.

2018 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Marine Plastic Monitoring, Assessment, and Policy

This review covers the current state of marine plastic monitoring systems, assessment frameworks, and policy instruments globally, examining data collection methods, international agreements, and gaps in enforcement. The authors highlight that inconsistent monitoring protocols and lack of binding global treaty mechanisms remain critical barriers to effective marine plastic governance.

2025
Article Tier 2

Plastic pollution of the world’s seas and oceans as a contemporary challenge in ocean governance

This paper frames plastic pollution of the world's seas and oceans as a defining contemporary challenge in ocean stewardship, reviewing the scale of the problem and arguing for urgent policy and management responses.

2018 Nature Communications 492 citations
Article Tier 2

Explore the Impact of Marine Plastic Pollution and Countermeasures

This paper reviewed the scope of marine plastic pollution, its distribution across ocean ecosystems, and its socioeconomic effects on coastal communities, finding that existing international agreements and waste management efforts remain insufficient to address the scale of the problem.

2025 MATEC Web of Conferences
Article Tier 2

Marine Plastic Pollution in the Arctic

This Japanese review summarizes recent research on plastic pollution in the Arctic, covering contamination pathways, distribution, and effects on marine life. The findings confirm that Arctic plastic pollution is widespread and growing, with implications for ecosystems and Indigenous communities that rely on Arctic seafood.

2023 Material Cycles and Waste Management Research 1 citations
Review Tier 2

Review: Review of participation of Indigenous peoples in plastics pollution governance — R0/PR2

This review examined how Indigenous peoples are described as participating in plastics pollution governance in peer-reviewed and gray literature, analyzing barriers and models of inclusion. Meaningful inclusion of Indigenous communities is essential for effective plastic pollution governance in coastal and remote areas where plastics have severe impacts on traditional food systems.

2023
Article Tier 2

Governance Strategies for Mitigating Microplastic Pollution in the Marine Environment: A Review

This review assessed the sources, spread, and impacts of microplastic pollution in marine environments and evaluated existing governance strategies for addressing the problem. Researchers found significant gaps in management approaches, including limited community involvement in monitoring and a lack of standardized mitigation strategies for coastal areas. The study calls for stronger policy interventions, more citizen science initiatives, and coordinated international efforts to reduce microplastic pollution in the oceans.

2021 Microplastics 146 citations
Article Tier 2

Governance Solutions to the Tragedy of the Commons That Marine Plastics Have Become

This paper examines marine plastic pollution as a "tragedy of the commons" and evaluates existing and proposed governance frameworks for addressing this shared environmental challenge. It argues that effective solutions will require international coordination, extended producer responsibility, and complementary regulatory and market-based instruments.

2018 Frontiers in Marine Science 193 citations
Article Tier 2

An International Legal Framework for Marine Plastics Pollution

This legal analysis reviews the current international framework for regulating marine plastics and identifies significant gaps and inconsistencies across treaties and agreements. The chapter argues that stronger, more unified global legal instruments are needed to effectively reduce plastic pollution in the world's oceans.

2023 Cambridge University Press eBooks 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Estimation of plastic waste accumulation in the Arctic

Researchers analyzed sources, spatial distribution patterns, and mass transfer dynamics of plastic and microplastic pollution in the Arctic, proposing plastic waste management approaches and a community-based monitoring program to track microplastic accumulation across Arctic regions.

2025 Arctic and Innovations
Article Tier 2

Regulation, Legislation and Policy—An International Perspective

This review examines international regulatory frameworks for marine plastic pollution under UNCLOS and related agreements, analyzing the obligations of national governments to prevent, reduce, and control marine pollution and the challenges of implementation.

2023 Springer textbooks in earth sciences, geography and environment 4 citations
Article Tier 2

End of life at the top of the world—stakeholder perspectives for plastics and circular transitions in the Arctic

Researchers examined stakeholder perspectives on plastic waste management and circular economy transitions in the Arctic, finding that remote communities face unique challenges in implementing plastic reduction strategies due to limited infrastructure and extreme conditions.

2023 Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Shipping spills and plastic pollution: A review of maritime governance in the North Sea

This review examines the governance landscape for plastic pollution from shipping spills in the North Sea, drawing on analysis of 263 reported incidents from 1917 to 2021 and 11 expert interviews, finding that 39% of container loss incidents occurred in or near the North Sea and that fragmented jurisdiction and weak policy coordination hinder accountability for polluters.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Indigenous rights, knowledge, and participation in the global plastics treaty

This paper argues that Indigenous Peoples are disproportionately harmed at every stage of the plastic lifecycle and face structural barriers to participation in UN plastics treaty negotiations, calling for binding commitments to Indigenous rights, traditional knowledge inclusion, and full and effective participation in global plastic governance.

2025 Cambridge Prisms Plastics 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Solutions to Plastic Pollution: A Conceptual Framework to Tackle a Wicked Problem

This review proposed a conceptual framework for organizing the diverse technological, governance, and societal solutions to global plastic pollution, mapping the value-laden issues that drive different actors' preferences for particular approaches.

2021 Environmental contamination remediation and management 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Pollution in the Arctic Ocean: An overview of multiple pressures and implications for ecosystem services

Researchers reviewed the multiple environmental pressures facing the Arctic Ocean, including a complex mix of chemical pollutants, climate change, and fishing activity, finding that current policies and data are insufficient to assess their combined impacts on fragile Arctic ecosystems. The study calls for targeted Arctic research and updated monitoring frameworks to better protect the region's ecosystem services — which include food, climate regulation, and global trade routes.

2021 AMBIO 37 citations
Article Tier 2

The Strengths and Weaknesses of Pacific Islands Plastic Pollution Policy Frameworks

A desktop policy gap analysis across 52 documents from 10 Pacific Island nations found substantial weaknesses in plastic pollution governance, including poor vertical and horizontal policy integration and limited access to current science on microplastics and human health.

2021 Sustainability 42 citations
Article Tier 2

Dilemma in global governance of marine plastic pollution and regulatory coordination: convention reconstruction via integrated international law

This legal analysis examined fragmented international governance of marine plastic pollution across 17 instruments including UNCLOS, MARPOL, and regional conventions, identifying a gap between soft law priorities and binding enforcement for microplastics. The authors proposed an integrated umbrella convention framework with specialized protocols to align the Global Plastic Treaty with existing agreements and establish enforceable plastic production caps.

2025 Frontiers in Marine Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Challenges for Regulation and Management of Microplastic in Environment and Proposed Changes

This review examines failures in international law and national regulations to adequately address microplastic pollution in water bodies, arguing that recent treaty negotiations have been insufficient and proposing regulatory changes to better manage microplastics in the environment.

2025