1. Marine Litter, UNEP/GPA
Land-based focal area
Marine Litter, UNEP/GPA

2. UNEA Resolution
First session of the United Nations Environment Assembly – Resolution 1/6 on Marine Plastic Debris and Microplastics:
Encourages Governments, intergovernmental organizations, industry and others to cooperate with the Global Partnership on Marine Litter
Emphasizes that further urgent action is needed and encourages Governments and the private sector to promote more resource-efficient use and sound management of plastics and microplastics
Requests UNEP to provide support to the development of marine litter action plans upon request by countries
Request UNEP ED to present a study on microplastics to UNEA-2
to address the challenges posed by marine plastic debris and microplastics, by addressing such materials at source

3. Regional Seas Conventions & Action Plans

4. History of the GPML
The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA) was adopted in 1995 and is hosted by UNEP
The GPA is the only global intergovernmental mechanism directly addressing the connectivity between terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. Marine Litter is one of the priority source categories
The 3rd Intergovernmental review meeting in 2012 recommended the establishment of a Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML) which was subsequently launched at the Rio+20 meeting under the auspice of the GPA.
The first Partnership forum was held October 2013

5. Action plans/nodes/networks
ML Action Plans:
Regional: Mediterranean, Caribbean, (Northwest Pacific, OSPAR, HELCOM)
National: Nigeria,
Municipal: Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Brazil (draft Niteroi)
Under discussion: Regional Strategy on ML for Africa, Black Sea
Nodes/networks:
Regional GPML nodes: Northwest Pacific Environmental Cooperation Center (NPEC), host organization of NOWPAP CEARAC, has established NW Pacific Regional Node ( NWPacific_node/) with support of GPA.
In the pipeline: Caribbean, Mediterranean, South Pacific
National: Portuguese partnership/network, Brazil,
Under discussion: Network for South Africa
to address the challenges posed by marine plastic debris and microplastics, by addressing such materials at source

6. Implementation: General
An e-book (YB) and brochure on microplastics
Valuing Plastic publication (2014) – Trucost and Plastic Disclosure Project
13 billion USD per year
Plastics in Cosmetics – is our personal care polluting the environment?(2015)
Factsheet
Series of short papers
Biodegradable plastic
Microplastic and foodsafety
MEPAs: Marine Environment Protection Association – IMO is working with the Hellenic one HELMEPA initially which will then be expanded.
Training package for port reception facilities finalized; Scoping study on marine litter in the LC/LP waste streams almost finalized, reviewed by Contracting Parties and comments being incorporated; The kids’ website on IMO related topics is almost done too

7. Implementation: Waste minimization, Samoa
The project included four main components:
community and media awareness;
improved waste management in the ports of entry into Samoa (Port & airport);
waste disposal facilities within the UNSIDS venue and the accommodation providers;
working with the communities to improve waste practices in Apia areas. This also included e.g. provision of litter booms in major contributory rivers and upscaling of waste through craft workshops.
10 minute documentary:
The project is a partnership between the Government of Samoa, UNEP/ GPA, GPML, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the communities and private sector in Apia.

8. Implementation: Waste minimization, Samoa
In Partnership with UNEP, AMSA, IMO
Community co-management
Ongoing guided community monitoring of boom litter collection rates
Public media campaign
Port waste management
Community participation in improved waste management
Litter boom deployment training

9. Implementation: Phase out microbeads
Supported Internationalization of the “Beat the microbead” initiative (PSF and NF)
Many personal care products and cosmetics contain plastics
Now 70 NGO’s from 33 countries - App in 9 languages – helps consumers to check if a product contains microbeads by just scanning the barcode with your smartphone camera
Promotes a phase out of microbeads by industry.
Capacity building in Southeast Pacific (CPPS, Spanish, 600 pax)
Media trainings (next in Abidjan Convention area)

10. Implementation: Capacity building
Capacity building in Southeast Pacific (CPPS, Spanish, 600 pax)
12 workshops on marine litter targeting  fishing communities focusing on three key local actors: school teachers, artisanal fishermen and tour operators.
Resources in Spanish: 3 marine litter videos, training material
Media trainings (next in Abidjan Convention area)

11. Implementation: Scientific assessment
Main sources and categories of plastics and microplastics;
Physical/chemical models to simulate the behaviour of plastics/microplastics in the ocean to improve current assessment technologies.
Occurrence/effects of microplastics in commercial fish/shellfish species.
Scales of accumulation of plastics and accompanying chemicals and effects of nano-scale plastics on marine organisms
Risk of physical and chemical effects of ingested microplastics on marine organisms.
Significance of plastics and microplastics as a vector for organisms, facilitating the spread of non-indigenous (alien) species.
Study on microplastics – crosscutting beyond UNEA
To develop guidelines covering terminology and methodologies: i) size and shape definitions of particles; ii) sampling protocols for the whole spectrum of particle sizes in surface and sub-surface seawater, seabed sediments, shorelines and biota; and, ii) methodologies for physical and chemical identification and analysis of polymers and associated chemicals.
To assess social and economic aspects influencing both the entry of plastics/microplastics into the ocean and the potential consequences from the resulting contamination.
To develop and utilize effective mechanisms for communicating the progress and conclusions of the working group to a wide audience (public and private sector).

12. Implementation: Scientific assessment
Modelling and monitoring  hotspots (CSIRO)
a global modelling workshop & discussion paper
Modeling and monitoring of ML incl. regional comparisons
Socio-economic component (IEEP)
Scoping of existing literature on socio-economic issues; and costs of non-action and action 
Analysis of six themes, Case studies
Compilation of Best Available Technologies (ACC)
Best Environmental Practices (BATs/BEPs) (TBD)
Advisory Group
Opportunities for matchmaking / twinning arrangements?

13. Implementation: Future Activities
Massive open online course on marine litter (2015 – est. September)
Innovation Challenge for Universities/private sector (2016)
Engineering challenge (redesign, prevention)
Communications challenge (raise awareness, engage)
Prediction/recovery challenge (predict, modelling, hotspot)
Campaign (2-3 components including microplastics in cosmetics)
Demonstration/pilot projects
ML Action plans for e.g. Africa (NBO/Abidjan), plastics management strategy SIDS
Monitoring in Seychelles, Grenada and Fiji (TBD)

14. Planned Publications Gender, Plastic and Chemicals (2015)
Overview of marine litter legislation (2015)
Vital graphics series ML (September 2015, May 2016)
Methods to Estimate the Efficiency and Duration of Ghost Fishing, Estimates of Derelict Gear, Estimates of Megafauna Ghost Fishing Mortality, and Regional Fisheries Management Organization Management Measures (UNEP/FAO) (2015)
Study of technologies and methodologies used to remove ALDFG from the marine environment (UNEP/FAO)(2015)
Short papers demystifying issues (2015):
Biodegradable/bio plastics – friend or foe?
Microplastics and food safety
UNEA-2 Study on Marine Plastic Debris and Microplastics (2016)
Plastics management strategy SIDS (2016)
Gender: DEWA and WECF – will feed into the Gender Outlook
ML legislation (DELC)
Vital graphics (GRID – illustrations/graphs etc. will also be used in the UNEA-2 document to visualize the content)

15. Upcoming Events GESAMP WG40 meetings for components (September 2015)
Global Modeling workshop 3rd quarter 2015
Advisory Group meeting 4th quarter 2015
UNEA – 2 (May 2016)
World Ocean Day - ML
Third Global Conference on Land-Ocean Connections (2016)
IGR-4 (2016/17)
UNEP is either leading (GLOC-3) or a partner (all others)

16. JOIN US! www.unep.org/gpa/gpml www.marinelitternetwork.org
Thank you for your attention