As we approach the fifth and final round of negotiations for the global plastic treaty, in Busan, Republic of Korea in November 2024, pressure is increasing for countries to deliver an ambitious treaty that will effectively curb plastic pollution. A persistent lack of data to inform indicators of progress has hindered the global and national decision-making needed to mitigate plastic pollution, encourage sustainable practices, and support circular economy initiatives.
Comprehensive data is crucial to track the full lifecycle of plastics, from production to disposal and environmental release. Ensuring the treaty includes equitable processes that promote transparency and accountability and improve the availability data over time will be crucial to its success.
At INC-5, the UNSW Centre for Sustainable Development Reform (CSDR) will convene an in-person seminar on data-driven approaches to decision-making for the management of plastic pollution.
The session will highlight the availability of data to track the ‘full life cycle’ of plastic into and within a national economy and explain how data on plastics is essential to deliver on the ambition of the global plastics treaty. Panellists will discuss their country’s context and how it influences the challenges and opportunities for developing data systems for plastics, as well as national strategies to build capacity and foster collaboration.
During the seminar, several resources will be launched which aim to support countries to assess their readiness to implement the treaty. These include the Plastic Data Checklist and User Guide (view here) and Global Waste and Plastic Accounts Tracker, which is to be launched at INC-5.
The session is designed to be interactive, using a mix of presentations, panel discussion and Q&A. By engaging civil society, financial institutions, and research institutes, the event will foster collaboration and capacity building to support evidence-based policy-making on plastics.
