Plastic pollution and its impacts on human health and the environment is emerging as a defining crisis of our time. The United States has set a national goal to eliminate plastic released into the environment by 2040 and is currently engaging in international negotiations on a Global Plastics Agreement (Global Plastics Treaty) while simultaneously developing a national strategy. While this confluence of domestic and international goals is encouraging, it has also raised issues and challenges, particularly for the Global Plastics Agreement negotiations, the next round of which will begin in November.
Join experts on international environmental law and the Global Plastics Agreement for a presentation on the negotiations and key provisions at issue, U.S. authorities and approaches to international agreements, and opportunities for the U.S. with respect to the Global Plastics Agreement.
This presentation follows the recent presentation and report published by ELI and the Monterey Bay Aquarium on existing legal authorities the U.S. federal government can leverage to achieve the national goal of addressing plastic pollution while safeguarding human health and the environment.
Panelists:
Alexandra R. Harrington, Lecturer in Law (Environment), Lancaster University Law School; Chair, IUCN WCEL Agreement on Plastic Pollution Task Force
David A. Wirth, Professor of Law and Dean’s Distinguished Scholar, Boston College Law School
Jamala Djinn, Ph.D., Policy Advisor, Break Free From Plastics-US
Margaret Spring, Chief Conservation and Science Officer, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Cecilia Diedrich, Staff Attorney, Environmental Law Institute, Moderator
Materials:
Materials will be posted as they are received. A recording of this session (usually posted within 3 business days) as well as any speaker materials will be available on this page.
Reference Links:
- Reports:
- Existing U.S. Federal Authorities to Address Plastic Pollution: A Synopsis for Decision Makers (October 2024 Update)
- Summary of October 2024 Update to Existing U.S. Federal Authorities to Address Plastic Pollution: A Synopsis for Decision Makers
- U.S. Authorities and Considerations for the Global Plastics Agreement
- Existing U.S. Federal Authorities to Address Plastic Pollution
- Moving Beyond Plastics: The Environmental Justice Impacts of Plastic Pollution