Stimson Center | Virtual Event 

Description: Nearly 6 billion tons of plastic waste pollute the planet. While public policy and attention have focused on climate change, plastic waste pollutes rivers, contaminates the ocean, accumulates on beaches, and breaks down into microplastic and nanoplastic particles that disrupt ecosystems, enter food webs, and are consumed by people. Relentless increases in production are the main driver: global plastic output has grown 200-fold from 2 million tons in 1950 to more than 400 million tons today, and is on track to double again by 2040. Plastics harm human health at every stage of the plastic life cycle, and diseases caused by plastics result in annual economic losses of $1.2 trillion. Plastic pollution is a pervasive global challenge and disproportionately harms the world’s poorest nations. In March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly resolved to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution by 2024. Join us for a discussion on the need and rationale for a Global Plastics Treaty, as we look to the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee later this month.

The registration link can be found below.