Category: Blog

By: Charlie JP Bennett (Visiting Trainee at NCLOS; Legal intern at T.M.C. Asser Institute and Space Court Foundation)

PDF: https://site.uit.no/nclos/wp-content/uploads/sites/179/2023/05/Final_Plastics-negotiation_NCLOS-blog_30052023.pdf

Matter commented on: Progression toward negotiation and conclusion of a new UN Plastic Pollution Treaty

1. Introduction

This week marked the beginning of the second round of negotiations of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC2) on a new treaty focused on plastic pollution, including the marine environment (the Plastics Treaty). It’s mandate, found within United Nations General Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolution 5/14, entitled ‘End plastic pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument’, was adopted on 2^nd March 2022. The negotiations follow an upsurge in attention to the problem of marine plastic pollution that is predicted to triple by 2040 if serious action is not taken. While some international reaction has slowly emerged, the treaty negotiations represent a step further that is imperative to safeguard the worlds marine environments from this rapidly growing problem.

Due to some technical changes our old newsletter no longer exists. If you still want to receive updates on new blogposts per e-mail you can subscribe here!

The Norwegian Centre of the Law of the Sea research activity has started and this blog aims to become a new breeding ground of ideas for the passionate of the law of the sea, ocean governance and all related topics.

I am inspired, humbled and honoured to take up the baton from Nigel Bankes and be the blog editor of this new season. In this blog, we want to share ideas, news and best practices about laws and oceans, and develop stronger connections with the ocean-based research community.

You will be exposed to our views ocean law and governance-related topics. You are more than welcome to respond, add comments and suggestions, disagree and express dissenting opinions. I ask to keep the comments relevant to the conversations taking place here so that we can always be kind and respectful to all those involved and add value and depth to the dialogue in a constructive manner.

Young scholars (in age and spirit), PhD students and LLM students that are willing to publish their Master thesis’ findings, are especially encouraged to contact us: this blog is meant to be a platform to develop your creative research and writing skills as young explorers! I encourage you to visit the NCLOS website and learn about us, about our current and future research areas, about who we are and our core values.

It will be my task to receive your contributions (short opinion pieces as well as more in-depth analyses that draw attention to your field of expertise), news, interesting events, book reviews and reading suggestions. Please feel free to contact me for more information and consider subscribing and engaging in discussion around the notion of ocean governance, which I believe is central for a better common future in research.

Thank you for reading and visiting, and helping us build a vibrant research community focused on observations, research and exchange of views around our wonderful oceans.

 

With gratitude,

Margherita Paola Poto,

Forsker, NCLOS UiT, Tromsø

Email contact: margherita.p.poto@uit.no