Strengthening Global Hydro-Spheric Plastic Regulation: Toward an Overarching Plastic Treaty

In the context of the ongoing negotiations for a global plastic treaty, it is critical to identify lessons and opportunities in the existing legal framework relating to global marine and freshwater(riverine) [referred to in this paper as hydro-spheric] plastic regulation. To ensure the effectiveness of such a treaty, it is imperative to focus on the key countries and river systems that are the primary sources of plastic waste in the marine environment. This paper addresses some central aspects of global plastic regulation, including "key countries for action" and "key river systems for action." It also discusses the importance of regional cooperation in the potential plastic treaty, the need for a dynamic shift from solely marine-based to incorporate freshwater-based regulation, and lessons that can be learned from the UNECE Water Convention. It concludes that the proposed plastic treaty must account for the transboundary flow of plastic and recognize the geographic connectivity, especially in Asia, which facilitates plastic transport from land to the seas via rivers. Moreover, the treaty must move towards a dynamic shift from marine-based regulation to a more inclusive hydro-spheric-based plastic regulation which focuses on the marine and freshwater nexus to ensure an effective global plastic regulation.