Virtual launch event. Closing the plastics data gap

Effective action on plastics and reducing their impact to people depends fundamentally on the development and implementation of systematic data collection and robust data management frameworks that can inform decision-making across local, national and international scales.

To address these interconnected challenges, the UNSW Centre for Sustainable Development Reform and Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) has developed several resources including the Handbook for Developing National Plastics Data Systems and Global Plastics Data Tracker.

1. The Handbook for Developing National Plastics Data Systems provides governments with the first comprehensive, practical framework to build national plastics data systems. Developed by the Centre for Sustainable Development Reform at UNSW Sydney, the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership and GRID-Arendal, it guides countries through seven key steps — from data identification and gap analysis through to ongoing data management and the development of Plastics Accounts. The Handbook is designed to be flexible and scalable, meeting countries wherever they are in their plastics data journey.
2. The Global Plastics Data Tracker presents data across the full plastics supply chain — production, consumption, trade, waste generation and treatment. Each country receives a data score indicating reporting frequency and granularity, revealing where data exists and where critical gaps remain. This provides negotiators and policymakers with a global evidence base to inform monitoring frameworks.

 Join us as we launch these resources for the global community of practice. Guest speakers will:

• Highlight the importance of closing the data gap through systematic data collection as the foundation for effective plastic pollution and health policy and evidence-based decision-making.  
• Virtually launch the Plastics Data Collection and Reporting Handbook to the global policy, scientific and practitioner community.  
• Provide hands-on instruction to the Handbook’s methodologies and practical tools.
• Introduce case studies from Fiji and Sri Lanka will demonstrate how systematic data management has supported evidence-based decision-making.

Speakers

Dr. Sivendra Michael

Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Environment and Climate Change - Government of Fiji

Dr Randika Jayasinghe

Ocean Accounts Fellows - Plastics and Waste Specialist, GOAP Secretariat

Emily Belonje

Research Associate, UNSW Centre for Sustainable Development Reform