UNEP

Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter

Litter is found in all the world's oceans and seas, even in remote areas far from human contact.

The continuous growth in the amount of solid waste thrown away, and the very slow rate of degradation of most items, are together leading to a gradual increase in marine litter found at sea, on the seafloor and coastal shores. It is an economic, environmental, human health and aesthetic problem posing a complex and multi-dimensional challenge.

The Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter (GPML) was launched at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012 in response to a request set out in the Manila Declaration on Furthering the Implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities. The partnership is led by a Steering Committee and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides secretariat services.

The GPML is a multi-stakeholder partnership that brings together all actors working to prevent marine litter and plastic pollution. By providing unique global platform to share knowledge and experience, partners are able to work together to create and advance solutions to this pressing global issue.

The GPML provides a platform for: cooperation and coordination; sharing ideas, knowledge and experiences; identifying gaps and emerging issues; and harnessing the expertise, resources and enthusiasm of all stakeholders (including private sector, civil society, non-governmental organizations and regional bodies) working to reduce and prevent marine litter and plastic pollution from land and sea based sources.

Specific objectives include: reducing the leakage of plastics into the ocean through improved design; the application of the ‘3Rs’ principle (reduce, re-use, recycle); encouraging ‘closed-loop’ systems and more circular production cycles; and maximization of resource efficiency and minimization of waste generation.

Any entity working to address marine litter and microplastics can become a member of the GPML.

Benefits of joining include:

  • Tapping into and connecting with a global network of hundreds of members to facilitate the coordination of action
  • An array of resources at your fingertips
  • Discovering opportunities to showcase your work
  • Receiving the latest updates in our quarterly newsletter

Join the GPML here.

Related Sustainable Development Goals