Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution
1 & 2 September 2021 - hybrid in Geneva & online
 

Follow up event on 26 October 2021


The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety of Germany invited to an online event entitled “Follow-up to the Ministerial Conference on 1-2 September in Geneva: Exchange on Rationale, Scope and Stepping Stones for an Agreement on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution”, which took place on Tuesday 26 October 2021, from 10 - 11am (GMT+3).


The online event was held in conjunction with the 8th meeting of the Annual Subcommittee of the Committee of Permanent Representatives, scheduled for 25-29 October 2021 in Nairobi.



Ecuador, Germany, Ghana and Vietnam jointly organised the

 

Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution
   


Informal consultations addressing the mandates 

of UNEA 3/7 and 4/6 

towards the 5th UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA-5.2) 


1 & 2 September 2021

supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)


Conference Program







This Ministerial Conference was set in a hybrid format at the WTO premises in Geneva, as one of the United Nations hubs, in all 6 UN languages


The Ministerial Statement has been finalized during the Ministerial Conference taking into account the discussions. The final draft of the Ministerial Statement as well as other relevant documents can be downloaded here:


Documents


Countries that have not already done so during the Ministerial Conference may choose to sign onto the Ministerial Statement after the Conference. 


Endorsement





 

Context of the conference

The Conference offers a platform for informal consultations in the lead up to the second part of the 5th UN Environment Assembly (UNEA), building on the mandates from the 3rd and 4th sessions of UNEA (UNEA 3/7 and 4/6) on tackling marine litter and microplastics and the findings of the ad hoc open-ended expert group on marine litter and microplastics.


With a view to taking the next decisive steps towards starting negotiations on a new global instrument complementing the existing framework, we invite you to join the conference to express your views and would appreciate your support for the intended Ministerial statement. 


The goal of the Conference is to build momentum and political will to advance a coherent global strategy to end marine litter and plastic pollution thus ensuring a future with clean seas.




Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution

Marine litter and plastic pollution have long been in the global spotlight. Up to twelve million tonnes of plastic waste end up in our oceans every year, where marine wildlife ingest or are entangled by plastic debris, causing injury and death. Plastic pollution also has negative impacts on food safety and quality, human health and coastal tourism, and contributes to climate change. In spite of this, the flow of plastic into the ocean continues, and is projected to nearly triple by 2040.