In March 2022, UN member states made the historic decision to develop an international, legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. This is a unique opportunity to unlock systemic change across the global plastics economy.
An effective treaty will deliver decisive impact across the full value chain. If not structured properly, however, there is a real risk that the new treaty will fall short of what is needed to turn the tide on plastic pollution. Recognizing that many aspects of the proposed treaty will be under consideration during the negotiation process, this report makes three contributions by outlining: 1) global rules as the foundation for an effective treaty; 2) the need to prioritize the most problematic categories of plastic; and 3) the specific policy levers that will be most impactful.
