76 nations sign the Plastic Pollution Declaration

We, representatives of the below states, are alarmed by the high and rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution and the impacts this has on the environment as well as on livelihoods, health, economies, and well-being. Strengthened action is urgently needed to prevent further discharge of plastic pollution into the environment.

Guided by the long-term ambition of eliminating all discharge of plastic litter into the oceans, agreed by the United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 3/7 and Sustainable Development Goal 14.1 “by 2025, to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution,“ we believe that there is a need for a stronger global response for the effective implementation of measures to reach this goal. This issue is global in nature and cannot be solved by any one country alone. An effective, dedicated global governance response is needed to address existing gaps and promote coherence, coordination, and effective prioritization of our efforts.

We, therefore, call for the development of a new legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution.

We encourage other interested actors to join the call for a new legally binding global agreement and to actively participate in international conferences and processes to develop such an agreement.

We welcome the establishment of the Group of Friends to Combat Marine Plastic Pollution and will engage through this group with regard to further developments on a new legally binding global agreement to combat plastic pollution.

We commit to work for a decision at UNEA5.2 to establish an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee recommending starting negotiations of a global legally binding agreement to combat plastic pollution, with the aim of concluding this as soon as possible.

Endorsements – 76 States so far