Marine plastic waste is one of the emerging and urgent issues in the field of marine and environmental governance. For China, accurately identifying and actively responding to the problem of marine plastic waste is an inevitable requirement for fulfilling international responsibilities, and it is also a powerful tool for deeply participating in global marine governance and building a community with a shared future for the ocean.

Global marine plastic waste governance is urgent

Plastics were once hailed as "a great masterpiece of mankind". They have the advantages of low cost, light weight, convenience, durability, etc., and are widely used in all aspects of the economy and society. While bringing convenience to life, plastics also induce a variety of environmental pollution problems. According to statistics from the European Plastics Association, global plastic production has increased from 1.7 million tons in 1950 to 367 million tons in 2020, of which 70% has become plastic waste due to improper disposal. The ocean is the most important "gathering place" for plastic waste. About 8 million tons of plastic waste enters the ocean every year, and this number continues to grow. In October 2021, the United Nations Environment Programme released a report titled "From Pollution to Solutions: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution", pointing out that there are currently about 75 million to 199 million tons of plastic waste in the ocean. If no effective intervention measures are taken, it is estimated that by 2040, the amount of plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems will reach 23 million to 37 million tons each year.

Marine plastic waste will cause very serious harm to natural ecosystems and human economic and social development: First, marine plastic waste will directly threaten the survival of marine life, and marine animals such as fish, turtles, and seabirds will suffocate to death due to accidentally ingesting plastic fragments or being entangled in "ghost fishing gear". Second, marine plastic waste will reduce the quality of seabed sediments, change marine habitats, and undermine the stability and balance of marine ecosystems. Third, marine plastic waste will affect the development of marine industries such as fisheries, shipping, and coastal tourism. Fourth, abandoned fishing gear will endanger maritime shipping safety. In 1993, a passenger ship carrying 362 passengers and crew members in Korean waters was entangled in the propeller by nylon ropes, causing the ship to suddenly turn, capsize and sink, resulting in 292 deaths. Fifth, marine plastic waste (i.e. marine microplastics) with extremely small diameters will absorb toxic and harmful chemicals and cause potential damage to human health through the food chain. In short, marine plastic waste has become a major challenge restricting the sustainable development of mankind and the ocean.

New Trends in Global Marine Plastic Waste Governance

Driven by the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations Environment Assembly and other mechanisms, countries have gradually established an international consensus on jointly addressing marine plastic pollution, and global marine plastic waste governance has shown some new characteristics and trends.

First, the formulation of laws has gradually accelerated. One of the important reasons why the global marine plastic waste governance in the past has not been effective is that the international community lacks a law and regulation specifically for the entire life cycle of plastic products. Fortunately, in March 2022, the Fifth United Nations Environment Assembly adopted a resolution on "Ending Plastic Pollution: Towards a Legally Binding International Instrument", deciding to establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee and reach a legally binding global plastic agreement involving the design, production, recycling, and treatment of plastic products by the end of 2024 to address the problem of plastic pollution in the world's oceans, rivers, and landscapes.

Second, the role of soft constraints is becoming increasingly prominent. In recent years, stakeholders such as international intergovernmental organizations, international non-governmental organizations, and scientific groups have independently or jointly put forward various initiatives, declarations, guidelines, or action plans, and the content has become more specific and detailed. In the absence of international law and sharp contradictions among all parties, these initiatives, declarations, guidelines, or action plans provide commonly accepted normative guidance and moral appeal, becoming a key factor in breaking the deadlock in negotiations and promoting substantive progress. Their value and role should not be underestimated.

Third, the competition for dominance is more intense. The competition for the leading power in the management of marine plastic waste is essentially a competition for rules, which is prominently reflected in the game between developed and developing countries, and between landlocked countries, coastal countries and small island countries around the positioning, principles, goals, and models of the global plastic agreement. It is foreseeable that this game will intensify in the future.

Fourth, there are more unfavorable realistic factors. First, from a global perspective, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, the use of medical supplies such as masks and protective clothing has increased significantly, and a considerable part of them have entered the ocean without proper disposal, increasing the already extremely heavy pressure on governance. Secondly, as the world's largest producer, emitter and transboundary transfer country of plastic waste, the United States has been advancing and retreating in its attitude towards the management of marine plastic waste. It has neither signed the "Marine Plastics Charter" nor ratified the "Basel Convention", which has seriously restricted the multilateral process of global marine plastic waste management. In addition, the current global economic situation is relatively sluggish and the recovery is weak. The economic recession has made countries pay more attention to issues such as trade, industry, and employment, and reduced investment in the field of ecological and environmental protection.

China's path to participate in global marine plastic waste governance

Facing the new trend of global marine plastic waste governance, China, as an advocate of the concept of a community with a shared future for the ocean and a defender of multilateralism, should deeply participate in global marine plastic waste governance and contribute China's wisdom and strength to improving the quality of the global marine ecological environment.

First, promote the concept of a community with a shared future for the ocean. Today's global marine plastic waste governance seems to have no shortage of various plans or programs, but in fact there is a lack of a unified concept to guide the actions of all parties. The initiative of a community with a shared future for the ocean proposed by China can effectively make up for the lack of concepts. China should increase the international dissemination of the concept of a community with a shared future for the ocean and promote its high position in the global marine plastic waste governance. First, further enrich the connotation, principles, and practice methods of the concept of a community with a shared future for the ocean, so that it can be transformed from a general statement into a three-dimensional theoretical system and improve the quality of discourse. Second, connect the concept of a community with a shared future for the ocean with international mainstream discourses such as the Sustainable Development Goals for the Ocean to expand the common meaning space. Third, we should use mechanisms such as the United Nations Environment Conference, the United Nations Ocean Conference, and the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for the Global Plastics Agreement to implement the concept of a community with a shared future for the ocean in resolutions of international organizations or bilateral and multilateral agreements, and promote it from a consensus discourse to an institutional arrangement.

Second, hold high the banner of multilateralism and promote multilateral cooperation in the ocean. Marine plastic waste pollution is not a local problem of a certain country or region. Its impact and harm will affect the world and all mankind. No country can stay out of it, nor can it solve it alone. Today, when unilateralism, protectionism, and anti-globalization are gaining momentum, China should adhere to and practice multilateralism, resist unilateralism, and actively shape the international agenda, create a consultation platform, initiate international marine scientific research projects and action plans, and share best practices to attract more entities to join the governance ranks, continuously build consensus on governance, enable multilateral cooperation, and promote the establishment of an open, inclusive, and shared partnership for the governance of marine plastic waste.

Third, formulate and promote the Chinese plan. On the issue of marine plastic waste management, many countries have introduced their own plans, which not only provide alternatives and references for global marine plastic waste management, but also promote the enhancement of their own discourse power. A special plan for China's participation in global marine plastic waste management should be formulated as soon as possible, detailing China's principles and goals, measures and contributions, initiatives and propositions on the issue of marine plastic waste, and its position and suggestions on the global plastic agreement. It should also be promoted through press conferences or academic seminars, foreign translation and publication, etc., so as to enable the international community to clearly understand China's policies, seize the discourse initiative, and establish a good national image.

Fourth, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Similar to the issue of climate change, marine plastic waste pollution has also undergone a long period of accumulation, and developed countries have an unshirkable historical responsibility for this. China should speak for developing countries within its capacity, safeguard the rights of developing countries, especially small island countries and the least developed countries, in the global governance of marine plastic waste, guide the international community to respect the diversity of countries at different stages of development, diverse interests and demands, and different traditional characteristics, and give due consideration to the special difficulties and reasonable concerns of developing countries in terms of financing mechanisms, industrial transformation, technology transfer, capacity building, and compensation assistance, so as to boost the willingness of developing countries to participate in the global governance of marine plastic waste.

Author's unit: School of International Affairs and Public Administration, Ocean University of China

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