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Knowledge Gaps Impeding Plastics Governance in the European Union

Madsen, Stine LU ; Bauer, Fredric LU orcid ; Hansen, Teis LU orcid ; Nilsson, Lars J LU orcid ; Carney Almroth, Bethanie ; Cullen, Jonathan M. ; Dreyer, Elin ; Milios, Leonidas LU ; Fogh Mortensen, Lars and Nielsen, Tobias LU , et al. (2026) In iScience 29(9).
Abstract
Plastic pollution poses urgent environmental, societal, and health challenges, yet governance remains fragmented. The 2022 UNEA Resolution 5/14 offers an opportunity for a legally binding treaty, but negotiations are stalled by geopolitical tensions, entrenched industrial interests, and divergent views on the plastic problem. Effective governance is further constrained by knowledge gaps spanning the entire plastic life cycle. The European Union, as a leading proponent of life-cycle–oriented plastics governance, provides a relevant context to examine these gaps. This paper offers an analysis of critical knowledge gaps that impede effective plastics governance across plastic life cycles. Through a multi-stage process drawing on structured... (More)
Plastic pollution poses urgent environmental, societal, and health challenges, yet governance remains fragmented. The 2022 UNEA Resolution 5/14 offers an opportunity for a legally binding treaty, but negotiations are stalled by geopolitical tensions, entrenched industrial interests, and divergent views on the plastic problem. Effective governance is further constrained by knowledge gaps spanning the entire plastic life cycle. The European Union, as a leading proponent of life-cycle–oriented plastics governance, provides a relevant context to examine these gaps. This paper offers an analysis of critical knowledge gaps that impede effective plastics governance across plastic life cycles. Through a multi-stage process drawing on structured expert input and supporting review of relevant literatures we identify four strategic action areas essential for progress in the European Union: knowledge generation, methodological development, transparency and disclosure, and tracking and traceability. Advancing these areas is important to addressing the urgent and complex challenges posed by plastic pollution. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Plastic pollution poses urgent environmental, societal, and health challenges, yet governance remains fragmented. The 2022 UNEA resolution 5/14 offers an opportunity for a legally binding treaty, but negotiations are stalled by geopolitical tensions, entrenched industrial interests, and divergent views on the plastic problem. Effective governance is further constrained by knowledge gaps spanning the entire plastic life cycle. The European Union, as a leading proponent of life-cycle-oriented plastic governance, provides a relevant context to examine these gaps. This paper offers an analysis of critical knowledge gaps that impede effective plastic governance across plastic life cycles. Through a multi-stage process drawing on structured... (More)
Plastic pollution poses urgent environmental, societal, and health challenges, yet governance remains fragmented. The 2022 UNEA resolution 5/14 offers an opportunity for a legally binding treaty, but negotiations are stalled by geopolitical tensions, entrenched industrial interests, and divergent views on the plastic problem. Effective governance is further constrained by knowledge gaps spanning the entire plastic life cycle. The European Union, as a leading proponent of life-cycle-oriented plastic governance, provides a relevant context to examine these gaps. This paper offers an analysis of critical knowledge gaps that impede effective plastic governance across plastic life cycles. Through a multi-stage process drawing on structured expert input and supporting review of relevant literature, we identify four strategic action areas essential for progress in the European Union: knowledge generation, methodological development, transparency and disclosure, and tracking and traceability. Advancing these areas is important to addressing the urgent and complex challenges posed by plastic pollution. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
plastic pollution, environmental governance, European union (EU)
in
iScience
volume
29
issue
9
article number
117065
publisher
Elsevier
ISSN
2589-0042
DOI
10.1016/j.isci.2026.117065
project
STEPS – Sustainable Plastics and Transition Pathways, Phase 2
language
Swedish
LU publication?
yes
id
d9a6dd14-efde-4ef4-aa3d-0317d142414d
date added to LUP
2026-06-23 14:55:17
date last changed
2026-08-18 15:41:57
@article{d9a6dd14-efde-4ef4-aa3d-0317d142414d,
  abstract     = {{Plastic pollution poses urgent environmental, societal, and health challenges, yet governance remains fragmented. The 2022 UNEA Resolution 5/14 offers an opportunity for a legally binding treaty, but negotiations are stalled by geopolitical tensions, entrenched industrial interests, and divergent views on the plastic problem. Effective governance is further constrained by knowledge gaps spanning the entire plastic life cycle. The European Union, as a leading proponent of life-cycle–oriented plastics governance, provides a relevant context to examine these gaps. This paper offers an analysis of critical knowledge gaps that impede effective plastics governance across plastic life cycles. Through a multi-stage process drawing on structured expert input and supporting review of relevant literatures we identify four strategic action areas essential for progress in the European Union: knowledge generation, methodological development, transparency and disclosure, and tracking and traceability. Advancing these areas is important to addressing the urgent and complex challenges posed by plastic pollution.}},
  author       = {{Madsen, Stine and Bauer, Fredric and Hansen, Teis and Nilsson, Lars J and Carney Almroth, Bethanie and Cullen, Jonathan M. and Dreyer, Elin and Milios, Leonidas and Fogh Mortensen, Lars and Nielsen, Tobias and Olsen, Tara and Syberg, Kristian and Tukker, Arnold and van den Beuken, Esther and Villarubia-Gómez, Patricia}},
  issn         = {{2589-0042}},
  keywords     = {{plastic pollution; environmental governance; European union (EU)}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{9}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{iScience}},
  title        = {{Knowledge Gaps Impeding Plastics Governance in the European Union}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.117065}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.isci.2026.117065}},
  volume       = {{29}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}