Global experts meet to discuss plastic pollution crisis

Global experts meet to discuss plastic pollution crisis - University of Portsmouth

Experts will contribute to and review its initial research, which analyses the success or otherwise of a range of plastic policies from around the planet

Experts from around the world are coming together this week to discuss the success of policies designed to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis.

The event taking place on Thursday and Friday (7 and 8 April) Global Plastics Policy Centre, based at the University of Portsmouth, where experts will contribute to and review its initial research, which analyses the success or otherwise of a range of plastic policies from around the planet.

Representatives from the World Economic Forum, OECD, the EU, and various governments, including Japan and the Maldives, as well as academic experts, industry and leading NGOs have been invited to contribute to an analysis performed by University researchers - the first since the Global Plastic Policy Centre was announced at COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021.

Designed to give governments and industry groups the evidence needed to support more effective plastic policies, the researchers believe this unique resource will ultimately help improve policy making to reduce the negative impacts of plastics. The Global Plastics Policy Centre is the latest significant development from the Revolutions Plastics initiative, which is putting the University of Portsmouth at the forefront of the plastics debate.

During a two-day online workshop attendees will be asked to look at a range of global plastic policies. These cover recycling regulations, extended producer responsibility, deposit return schemes, bans on plastic bags, bans of selected single use plastic products, taxes, and awareness instruments.

Professor Steve Fletcher, Director of the Global Plastic Policy Centre, says: “The team have been busy assessing more than 100 global plastics policies, now the setting up of the Global Plastic Policy Centre is in its final stage. As with all academic outputs, peer review is crucial, so I’m incredibly excited to be unveiling our work to such an eminent panel. I’m looking forward to hearing what they say.”

The Centre will bring an evidence-based approach to plastic policy-making. A framework has been developed to assess individual policies that are scored against criteria and backed up by evidence. This Centre is the first of its kind and the team believe that it will generate real change.