GOMPLAR compares the vast implications and possible shortcomings and knowledge gaps of two geographical areas heavily impacted by plastic waste and littering: the Northeast Atlantic and the Northwest Pacific regions.
Norwegian environmental authorities are committed to working internationally to counter plastic pollution, and marine litter in the Arctic is a mounting environmental challenge. Much has been done to reverse the problem, with positive results of the efforts. However, the legal and regulatory framework(s) addressing marine plastic litter in the Arctic remains inadequate. A resolution requires concerted international efforts.
Governance of Marine Plastic Litter in the Arctic (GOMPLAR) will assess and compare the governance mechanisms of the Northeast Atlantic and Northwest Pacific Oceans to identify the constituent elements of a legal and political platform for the prevention and remediation of marine plastic litter discharge in the Arctic. The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway, with a sum of 12 million NOK.
The project aim at developing new knowledge to support future policy formulation by the government of Norway, the Arctic Council and other bodies currently working on an international regulatory framework to minimize marine plastic litter in the Arctic.
The project will begin September 2021, and looks to continue for four years.
- With this project, we can make a difference in reversing one of our greatest environmental issues: marine littering. Together with Norwegian, Russian, Korean, Chinese and Japanese institusions, we will research and learn from conventions and agreements in other regions, says the Project Manager, Anne Katrine Normann.
Partners include: NORCE, Sintef Ocean, Akvaplan-niva, Kola Science Center, Hokkaido University, Shanghai Ocean University and Korea Maritime Institute.