Bridge to Busan:
Declaration on Primary Plastic Polymers
We, the undersigned members of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) and those concerned about the many harms of plastic pollution to human health and the environment, are committed to ending plastic pollution worldwide.
We reaffirm the mandate of United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolution 5/14 to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics.
We emphasize that the full lifecycle of plastics includes the production of primary plastic polymers.
Studies show that the world cannot achieve its goals of ending plastic pollution and limiting global average temperature rise to less than 1.5° Celsius if the unsustainable production of primary plastic polymers is not addressed.
Left unaddressed, production of primary plastic polymers is projected to increase exponentially through 2050 and could overwhelm national waste management and recycling programs, even after significant improvements supported by the new instrument.
Addressing the unsustainable production of primary plastic polymers is not only essential to ending plastic pollution worldwide; it also represents one of the most efficient and cost-effective approaches to managing the plastic pollution problem.
Moreover, a balancing of efforts across the full lifecycle of plastics—from production and design through waste management and remediation—is necessary to equitably distribute the overall burden of efforts shared among countries, each of which must contribute to achieving the collective goals of the new instrument.
For these reasons, we call on members to:
COMMIT to achieve sustainable levels of production of primary plastic polymers. This includes ensuring production matches ambitions for a circular economy for plastics, while aligning with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C.
ENSURE transparency in the production of primary plastic polymers. This includes reporting of data on the production of primary plastic polymers to close information gaps, assess progress and inform priorities.
AGREE to a global objective regarding the sustainable production of primary plastic polymers. This may include production freezes at specified levels, production reductions against agreed baselines, or other agreed constraints to prevent the unsustainable production of primary plastic polymers.
Bridge to Busan:
Declaration on Primary Plastic Polymers
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Australia
Austria
Belgium
Cabo Verde
Cameroon
Chile
Cook Islands
Côte d’Ivoire
Denmark
European Union
Federated States of Micronesia
Fiji
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Grenada
Guinea
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Signatories
Countries
Luxembourg
Malawi
Maldives
Mauritius
Moldova
Monaco
Nauru
Netherlands
Nigeria
Norway
Peru
Philippines
Portugal
Rwanda
Senegal
Solomon Islands
Sweden
Switzerland
Tuvalu
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Vanuatu
Stakeholders
ACR+
ACT Health Promotion
ADUPI (Asosiasi Daur Ulang Plastik Indonesia)
AUSMAP
A Plastic Planet
Algramo
Archdiocese Manila Ministry on Ecology
Armenian Women for Health & Healthy Environment
Associação Mar Moçambique
Association For Promotion Sustainable Development (India)
Bermuda Innovation & Technology Association
Blessings of the Forest - Gabon
Bureau of International Recycling
Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty
CEJAD Kenya
Cercarbono
Chumbe Island Coral Park (CHICOP) Ltd
CircuPlus Ltd.
Citoyens Volontaires
Cleaner Seas Project
Climate Change Center (Korea)
Common Seas
CoralWatch
Earth Action
Earth Law Center
Echologika, Ltd.
EcoDigital
Ecorethink Organisation
Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Environmental Coalition on Standards
Environmental Investigation Agency
Fondation Tara Ocean
FUNGERES
Galapagos Conservation Trust
Gallifrey Foundation
Global Plastics Policy Centre, University of Portsmouth
Global Youth and Sustainability Organisation
Global Zero Waste
Green Energy Strategy Institute
Green Environment Youth Korea
GreenForest Solutions
Green Salon Ltd.
Green Transformation and Sustainability Network
Green Vientiane
Green Worms Waste Management
InfinArt
Innovation Alliance for a Global Plastics Treaty
Institute for Energy & Climate Strategies
Knowledge Impact Network
Laura Spluf
LUCITA
MarViva
Monterey Bay Aquarium
No More Butts
No Plastic In My Sea
Objectif Zéro Plastique
OceanCare
OceanKita
Ocean. Now!
Orléans Zéro Plastique
Packaging for the Future
PCX Solutions
Planet A
Plastic Bank Foundation
PlasticBusters
PlasticFree
Plastic Health Council
Plastic Soup Foundation
Polish Zero Waste Association
PNOSCMC (Mozambique)
S-EnPol Company, Ltd.
Sciaena
Searious Business
Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
Suraksha
Surfrider Foundation Europe
Tabor Place
TESS (Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs)
Tearfund
The Pew Charitable Trusts
The Scarab Trust
Trash Hero World
Unwaste.io
Waves of Change
WayZero
WRAP
WWF
Yunus Thailand
Zero Waste Europe
Zero Waste Vashon
The Bridge to Busan Declaration is endorsed by countries and stakeholders of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Interested countries and stakeholders are encouraged to join this call to action on primary plastic polymers by signing the Declaration.