Governing plastic pollution in the oceans: Reflections from the Global Plastic Treaty

Marine plastic pollution has emerged as a threat to global ocean health, in part, prompting the ongoing negotiation of a Global Plastic Treaty. However, the treaty's potential impact on ocean governance remains uncertain. The governance architecture for marine plastic pollution is complex and faces several key weaknesses. This paper identifies and explores these weaknesses, including the need for harmonisation of international laws, coherence in national policies, coordination among international organisations, and effective science-policy interaction. It examines the current international policy response to marine plastic pollution within the treaty framework, highlights challenges in national implementation amidst overlapping sectoral policies, and assesses the organisational structure governing marine affairs globally. Finally, the paper outlines a policy agenda to strengthen global governance of plastic pollution with an emphasis on marine plastic pollution, highlighting the role of science advice as a coordinating mechanism.