Back to basics – Statistical Data
What happened to reporting of statistical data in the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations?
To recall, UNEA Resolution 5/14 references promoting sustainable production and consumption of plastics, addressing the full lifecycle of plastic and reducing plastic pollution. The mandate also requests periodic assessments of implementation and effectiveness and scientific assessments of plastic pollution. This will require reporting: (i) statistical data across the lifecycle of plastic; and (ii) the measures taken by Parties to implement the obligations.
Periodic reporting of statistical data on the pollutant in question is a standard feature of multilateral environmental agreements, the substrate upon which effective action depends. For example, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement require reporting of national inventories of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to methodologies adopted by the Conference of the Parties; the Montreal Protocol requires reporting statistical data on the production, imports and exports of ozone‑depleting substances and hydrofluorocarbons and amounts used for feedstocks and destroyed; the Minamata Convention requires reporting of inventories of mercury emissions and releases, according to methodologies adopted by the Conference of the Parties.
Reporting of statistical data serves two main purposes. First, it complements environmental monitoring by allowing scientists and policymakers to complete our understanding of the state of the environment and its evolution, providing information on sources (inputs into the economy and leakage) and trends that cannot be discerned from environmental monitoring alone. Second, it enables conclusions to be drawn on the overall effectiveness of the new instrument, which will then inform priorities and next steps.
In the context of plastic pollution, statistical data for the relevant stages of the lifecycle of plastics should be forthcoming. On the front end, to promote sustainable production and consumption of plastic, reporting should include statistical data on production and consumption (use) of primary and recycled polymers, including both fossil‑ and bio‑based polymers. On the back end, to promote environmentally sound management, reporting should include statistical data on plastic waste management (generation, collection, landfill, incineration, recycling, leakage). In addition, related to releases and leakages, reporting should include sectoral contributions (fisheries, textiles, agriculture), including microplastics pathways and releases within the sector, as appropriate.