We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
20 resultsShowing papers similar to Politics and the plastic crisis: A review throughout the plastic life cycle
ClearMicroplastics: A Review of Policies and Responses
This critical review assembled current knowledge on policies and regulatory responses to plastic pollution globally, including legislative measures, economic instruments, and voluntary commitments. The authors identify a gap between scientific evidence and policy action and call for stronger, more coordinated international governance of plastic pollution.
Transforming the Global Plastics Economy: The Role of Economic Policies in the Global Governance of Plastic Pollution
This paper argues that addressing plastic pollution requires looking beyond waste management and marine cleanup to tackle the problem at its source, across the entire plastics life cycle including production, trade, and consumption. The authors trace how international policy discussions have evolved from voluntary approaches to regulatory frameworks, with over 100 governments calling for a new global plastics agreement. The research highlights the need for economic policies that address upstream production alongside downstream pollution.
The Role of Legislation, Regulatory Initiatives and Guidelines on the Control of Plastic Pollution
This review examines existing plastic pollution regulations globally, finding that despite many proposals and national bans, the overall effectiveness of legislation is unclear and most measures focus narrowly on marine plastics or single-use items. The authors argue that laws often lag behind science and face practical limitations given how deeply embedded plastics are in daily life.
Marine plastic pollution: A systematic review of management strategies through a macroscope approach
Researchers applied a systems-level framework to review 176 studies on marine plastic pollution management, finding that waste collection infrastructure and freshwater pathways are critically understudied and that no existing strategy — from beach cleanup to biomaterials — is scalable enough to meaningfully reverse the plastic crisis.
Global perceptions of plastic pollution: The contours and limits of debate
This review analyzed 39 peer-reviewed studies on public perceptions of plastic pollution, finding that research discourse is narrowly focused on marine impacts and single-use plastics while largely ignoring broader plastic pollution contexts relevant to international treaty negotiations.
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.
Bottlenecks of Global Plastic Strategy and the Way Forward of Microplastics Management
This review examines bottlenecks in global plastic waste management strategies, arguing that rising plastic use in everyday activities has outpaced regulatory and logistical capacity, and proposing pathways forward for more effective microplastics management at a global scale.
Policy priorities: emerging trends in a global response
This policy review examines global regulatory responses to plastic and microplastic pollution, identifying focal areas, gaps, and future directions by drawing parallels to historical policy development around air pollution management.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Legislation and Policy on Pollution Prevention and the Control of Marine Microplastics
This review analyses international legislation and policies targeting marine microplastic pollution, finding that most existing regulations focus narrowly on microbeads while failing to address other microplastic types, and identifies three systemic dilemmas that impede more comprehensive regulatory frameworks.
What Shall We Do With a Sea of Plastics? A Systematic Literature Review on How to Pave the Road Toward a Global Comprehensive Plastic Governance Agreement
A systematic literature review of 64 peer-reviewed articles analyzed what a successful global plastic governance agreement would require, identifying key elements including binding reduction targets, extended producer responsibility, and a lifecycle approach that addresses plastic from production through disposal.
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.
Advancing the international regulation of plastic pollution beyond the United Nations Environment Assembly resolution on marine litter and microplastics
This legal paper reviews international frameworks relevant to plastic pollution and argues for a binding global agreement specifically targeting plastic pollution, beyond existing resolutions. A comprehensive international treaty is increasingly seen as necessary to meaningfully reduce plastic pollution, including microplastics.
Marine litter: how to monitor, reduce and prevent ocean debris. Focus on plastics and microplastics.
This report reviewed the growing problem of plastic pollution in the oceans and the policy landscape for addressing it, emphasizing that production, use, and end-of-life management all require reform. It frames plastic pollution as a systemic challenge requiring coordinated international action rather than single-issue solutions.
Bibliometric analysis for global marine microplastic pollution control from 2013 to 2022
This bibliometric analysis reviewed a decade of research on marine microplastic pollution control, analyzing over 2,300 publications. The study found that research has shifted from tracing microplastic sources and analyzing hazards toward examining the impact of economic activities and synthetic fibers, while identifying a gap in studies focused on policy implications and technological innovations for pollution control.
A critical review on plastic waste life cycle assessment and management: Challenges, research gaps, and future perspectives
This review examines the full environmental impact of plastics from production through disposal, noting that life cycle assessments often produce unexpected results when comparing bio-based and petroleum-based plastics. A major gap exists because microplastic pollution is not yet factored into these environmental assessments, despite growing evidence of its ecological harm.