Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Governance of plastics in the Arctic

This paper analyzed governance frameworks for managing plastic pollution in the Arctic, examining how international agreements, national policies, and Indigenous governance systems interact to address the unique challenges of plastic in polar environments. It identified key governance gaps given the Arctic's vulnerability.

2024 Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks
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

Global Ocean Governance and Ecological Civilization

This study examines global ocean governance frameworks and argues that achieving 'ecological civilization' requires coordinated international responses to mounting threats including climate change, ocean acidification, microplastic pollution, and overexploitation of marine resources.

2023
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

International Water Law’s Role in Addressing the Problem of Marine Plastic Pollution: A Vital Piece in a Complex Puzzle!

This legal analysis examined the role of international water law in addressing marine plastic pollution, arguing that existing water governance frameworks have largely overlooked plastics as a water resource management problem. The author advocates for integrating plastic pollution controls into international water law instruments.

2022 Chinese Journal of Environmental Law 14 citations
Article Tier 2

The United Nations Basel Convention’s Global Plastic Waste Partnership: History, Evolution and Progress

This review traces the history and evolution of the UN Basel Convention's Global Plastic Waste Partnership, examining how international cooperation on plastic pollution governance has developed over time. Global regulatory frameworks are essential for addressing plastic pollution that moves across borders through ocean currents and trade.

2021 Environmental contamination remediation and management 9 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
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

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

Significant benefits from international cooperation over marine plastic pollution

Researchers modelled the benefits of international cooperation in addressing marine plastic pollution, finding that the interconnected nature of ocean systems means that unilateral national actions produce substantially smaller reductions in plastic accumulation than coordinated multinational agreements. The study quantified how sharing costs and strategies across nations could significantly improve outcomes for marine ecosystem protection and human well-being.

2023 3 citations
Article Tier 2

International cooperation for the protection of global public goods

This paper examines international cooperation challenges in addressing global public goods problems, using marine plastic pollution as a key example. With an estimated 150 million tonnes of plastics in the world's oceans, the study argues that effective solutions require unprecedented levels of international coordination.

2019 Refubium (Universitätsbibliothek der Freien Universität Berlin)
Article Tier 2

Does national power trigger ocean conservation?

This political science study investigates whether a nation's geopolitical power influences its commitment to ocean conservation policies. It explores the relationship between national power dynamics and environmental governance in marine contexts.

2020
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

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

International Environmental Law and Marine Pollution in the Pacific Islands: Promoting Sustainable Ocean Governance

Not relevant to microplastics — this international law paper reviews strategies for sustainable ocean governance in Pacific Island nations, covering fisheries management, waste policy, and regional cooperation, but does not focus specifically on microplastic contamination.

2023 Law and Economy 1 citations
Article Tier 2

International treaties, national laws, and best legal practices for addressing plastic pollution in the oceans

This thesis examines plastic pollution in the world's oceans through the lens of international treaties, national laws, and social dynamics, evaluating the effectiveness of existing legal frameworks and best practices for addressing the growing crisis of marine plastic contamination.

2025
Article Tier 2

Sustentabilidade: Materiais Plásticos, O Great Pacific Garbage Patch E Propostas Sustentáveis No Contexto Da Globalização Contemporânea

This Brazilian Portuguese legal and policy review analyzes international and domestic sustainability proposals around plastic pollution, including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and European single-use plastic regulations. The author argues that no effective global plastic elimination program is possible without coordinated non-state institutional frameworks and enforcement mechanisms.

2021 Revista Eletrônica Direito e Política
Article Tier 2

Understanding the socioeconomic determinants of marine plastic pollution: Evaluating policy effectiveness and mitigation strategies in the Global South.

Researchers synthesized qualitative and quantitative evidence on marine plastic pollution in the Global South, identifying rapid urbanization, inadequate waste infrastructure, and weak governance as primary drivers, and recommending integrated strategies combining single-use plastic bans, extended producer responsibility, regional cooperation, and circular economy incentives.

2026 Marine pollution bulletin
Article Tier 2

Managing Marine Plastic Pollution: Policy Initiatives to Address Wayward Waste

This policy analysis reviews local, national, and international initiatives aimed at reducing marine plastic pollution, from plastic bag bans to proposed international agreements. While policy action is growing, the article highlights that global coordination and enforcement remain major challenges in meaningfully reducing ocean plastic waste.

2015 Environmental Health Perspectives 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Marine Plastic Pollution and Environmental Problems

This review examines the sources, environmental and socioeconomic effects, and policy responses to marine plastic pollution, finding that while scientific knowledge is substantial, policy and regulatory initiatives have so far been inadequate and inconsistent across countries. The paper calls for stronger international coordination and more effective governance tools to meaningfully reduce plastic inputs to the ocean.

2023 Highlights in Science Engineering and Technology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Unveiling environmental governance and political economy dynamics in rural plastic pollution management: a case study of Ogun State, Nigeria

This study analyzed environmental governance and political economy dynamics shaping plastic pollution management in rural communities, finding that power structures and economic incentives often undermine collective action. The authors argue that local governance reforms are needed to translate global plastic reduction goals into community-level change.

2023 Reality of Politics 4 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

Bibliography

This is a bibliography section from a research handbook on ocean governance and international maritime law. It lists sources covering the legal frameworks relevant to managing ocean pollution including plastics, but contains no original scientific research.

2023 Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks
Article Tier 2

International Legal Systems in Tackling the Marine Plastic Pollution: A Critical Analysis of UNCLOS and MARPOL

This legal analysis examines how two major international agreements, UNCLOS and MARPOL, address marine plastic pollution and identifies significant gaps in their ability to reduce it. The existing laws lack enforceable requirements for reducing land-based plastic waste and have uneven enforcement of rules for ship-based discharges. The paper proposes strengthening international law to promote a circular economy approach, which matters because marine plastic breaks down into microplastics that enter the seafood supply.

2025 Water 9 citations