The pervasive nature of marine plastic pollution was highlighted at the recent United Nations Environment Assembly. This meeting saw strong commitments for action, but at the same time reinforced the challenges for contemporary ocean governance in addressing marine plastic pollution.
The problem of plastic pollution in the world’s seas and oceans has attracted increasing scientific concern1, with calls for an international agreement to address this issue. Any such agreement would extend, complement, and also challenge existing international, regional, national, sub-national, and local initiatives. Responses to the problem of marine plastic pollution will need to involve and link state and non-state actors, business, and civil society, looking to integrated solutions that move away from traditional state-based, sector-focused responses to oceans' issues.
The United Nations Environment Assembly meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, convened in early December 2017 under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program, was the most recent gathering to address the significant issue of plastic pollution in the world’s seas and oceans. The topic was included in one of the 11 resolutions discussed at the meeting, which, although non-binding, are likely catalysts for further action. For the first time, the United Nations Environment Assembly deliberations included the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration by consensus. This declaration noted that annually “we dump [from] 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic in oceans”. The president of the assembly noted that “the results … will provide us with concrete solutions to achieve our aspirations”

Marine plastic pollution

Although there is broad-based recognition of the problem of marine pollution, the challenge in addressing marine plastic pollution reflects the complexity of a multi-faceted problem. A vast majority of marine plastic pollution derives from land-based sources (4.8–12.7 million metric tonnes of plastic annually)3, so a sole focus on marine oriented solutions is insufficient. The sources of such plastics are equally diverse, from commercial and recreational ships and vessels, fishing and aquaculture operations (rope, waste, fishing gear, nets) to land based sources, street litter, dumping, packaging (including plastic bags), plastic sheeting and production waste