SESSIONS

Co-convened in partnership with the Global Partnership on Marine Litter

As a pollutant without borders, marine litter and microplastics continue to choke the world’s oceans, with a recent study revealing that by 2040, the volumes of plastic waste flowing into marine areas may nearly triple to 23-37 million metric tons per year. This is the equivalent of 50kg of plastic per meter of coastline worldwide. 

Found along the world’s coastlines and estuaries to the remotest polar regions and down into the deepest ocean trenches, we are only just beginning to understand the true impact of marine litter and microplastics on the environment and society.

Plastics has even been found in human placentas, demonstrating the reach of this pollutant.

To tackle plastics, the largest, most harmful and persistent fraction of marine litter, immediate action is needed.

Significantly reducing marine pollution by 2025, as envisaged by the Sustainable Development Goals, requires focused, accelerated action by multiple actors and sectors. UNEA Resolution 3.7 on Marine Litter and Microplastics, stresses “the importance of long-term elimination of the discharge of litter and microplastics to the oceans and of avoiding detriment to marine ecosystems and the human activities dependent on them from marine litter and microplastics”.

This session will include the Phase I release of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter Digital Platform. The aim of the GPML Digital platform is to facilitate coordination of multi-stakeholder action towards the long-term elimination, through a life-cycle approach, of discharges of litter and microplastics into the oceans using AI capabilities, data mapping and layered functionalities including match-making.

The session will examine the following key questions:

• What does the latest science tell us about the risks posed by marine litter and microplastics for ecosystems, human health and society ?
• In order to manage and mitigate the risk of marine litter in our environment, what urgent policy action is required at the multi-lateral and national levels?
• What part does innovation, technology and finance have to play? And what does multi-stakeholder cooperation offer in the management and mitigation of marine litter and microplastics related risk?

SPEAKERS
H.E. Keriako Tobiko, Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Kenya;  H.E. Satoru Lino, Deputy Director, Office of the Marine Environment, Ministry of the Environment of Japan; Leticia Carvalho, Head of Marine and Freshwater Branch, UNEP; Heidi Savelli, Programme Management Officer, Global Partnership for Marine Litter UNEP;  Juan Bofill, Senior Engineer in the Water Management Division, European Investment Bank; Patrick Labat, Senior Executive Vice President, Northern Europe, Veolia; Gabriel Thoumi, Director of the Plastics Programme and Financial Markets, Planet Tracker;  Melissa Wang, Senior Scientist, Greenpeace; Tina Ngata, Environmental & Indigenous Rights Advocate, Women Major Groups Representative; Nicholas Holmes, Chief Technology Officer for Global Government, IBM Cloud and Cognitive Software; Prof. Jacqueline McGlade, Lead Author, UNEP Global Assessment on Marine Litter and Microplastics; Saiful Ridwan, Chief Enterprise Solutions, UNEP; Audrey Hasson, Head of the European Office, GEO Blue Planet.