Transforming the Global Plastics Economy: The Role of Economic Policies in the Global Governance of Plastic Pollution

International policy discussions on plastic pollution are entering a new phase, with more than 100 governments calling for the launch of negotiations for a new global plastics agreement in 2022. This article aims to contribute to efforts to identify effective international policy levers to address plastic pollution. It takes stock of the evolution of views and perceptions on this complex and multi-faceted topic—from concerns about marine pollution and waste management towards new strategic directions that involve the entire plastics life-cycle and include climate and health impacts associated with the proliferation of plastics. It also traces the progressive development of responses—from voluntary approaches invovling multiple stakeholders to national and international approaches focused on regulation. The paper is informed by desk research, a literature review and participation by the authors in informal and formal global governance processes on plastic pollution, the environment and development in the United Nations and World Trade Organization between 2019 and 2021. It also draws on empirical findings from a novel and original database on the life-cycle of plastic trade created by the authors. The paper argues that the important focus on downstream dimensions of plastic pollution—and strategies to address them—needs to be complemented by a broad life-cycle and “upstream” perspective that addresses plastic pollution at its source. It highlights the political economy tensions and inconsistencies at hand, observing that while some countries are taking concerted efforts to reduce pollution (including through bans on certain kinds of plastic and plastic products); to promote more circular plastic economies; and to reduce the carbon footprint of plastics (as part of a wider effort to decarbonize their economies), trade and investment in the plastic industry continues to rise. The paper argues that to reduce plastic pollution, emerging global governance efforts must integrate international environmental law and cooperation with a complementary and enabling global framework that addresses the economic, financial, industrial and trade policies needed to drive the necessary transformation of the plastics sector.

Active Ageing in Italy: A Systematic Review of National and Regional Policies

Active ageing is defined as the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. The design of active ageing policies intersects with different overarching societal challenges, especially ageing populations, social rights and sustainability. However, there are no previous attempts to review active ageing policies in the light of these challenges and the international policy objectives and targets that are guiding the international community. The aim of this study is to systematically identify, review and analyse all national and regional policies on active ageing adopted in Italy, by applying a conceptual framework derived from main international policy initiatives in the three areas. The research was conducted in two stages. First, a case study analysis was carried out per each relevant national institution and regional government. Standardised interviews were combined with policy document search, selection and analysis. Second, we performed a policy analysis in the light of a conceptual framework adopted. This latter was composed by nine policy domains, selected and integrated from principles and objectives of three overarching international frameworks on ageing—i.e., the Regional Implementation Strategy (RIS) commitments of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), social rights—i.e., the European Pillar of Social Rights and sustainability—i.e., the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Results pointed out that out of the identified nine policy fields, the major intervention areas by Italian policy makers concerned labour market participation, life-long learning, social and economic inequalities, health and well-being. Less attention had been given to issues such as gender and equal opportunities and sustainable cities. This systematic policy review is a milestone for understanding how active ageing policies contribute to address major societal challenges and what domains need further policy development.

PERSPECTIVES FOR A WIND ASSISTED SHIP PROPULSION

For three different wind propulsion technologies, the energy saving potential of sea going cargo vessels are discussed: a kite, a Flettner rotor and a Dynarig-sail. The energy saving potential can be increased significantly if the route can be optimized when using a wind assisted ship propulsion. The increase of travelling time due to a route adoption is within the frame of the commonly accepted uncertainty in supply chains and can be limited or adjusted in the route optimization software as a parameter. The calculated saving potential depends on several parameters: the considered wind propulsion system, the route, the kind of ship (bulker, multipurpose carrier, tanker), as well as the ship speed and the weather. The cost-effectiveness of the installation of a wind propulsion system strongly depends on the fuel price, the ship speed and the international policy concerning the ship emissions.

International Policy Framework

This chapter describes the international policy framework and efforts made on the international and European level to further the fight against violence against women and domestic violence. The respectivenational legal frameworks and organisational context of front-line responder services are discussed in-depth in the following chapters. The IMPRODOVA project followed a bottom-up approach in itsinvestigation of ground-level practices of cooperation of frontline responder services, which are, however, only meaningfully understood when interpreted in the governing national legal and policy framework.While numerous international policy documents relate to domestic violence, the ratification of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in 2011represents perhaps the most significant attempt to institute a comprehensive policy framework in this field. The "Istanbul Convention" includes the first legally binding, international, and wide-reaching set ofnorms to combat violence against women in general and domestic violence specifically.

Earth System Sensitivity: a Feedback perspective

In the field of climate-change research a lot of effort is devoted to the ‘narrowing down’ of uncertainties in the estimation of Equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS), the global mean warming as a result of an instantaneous doubling of the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. The present study explores possible consequences of this narrowing down of ECS for the long-term Earth system sensitivity (ESS), taking into account ‘slow’ feedbacks due to the cryosphere response (permafrost melting and ice-sheet disintegration) to a warming world. Implications for international policy making, aiming at avoiding 2 degrees Celsius of global warming, are briefly discussed.

Renewing Relationships? Solitudes, Decolonisation, and Feminist International Policy

In this article we seek to understand how gendered coloniality is re-affirmed and reproduced. It does so by analysing the inter-national relationships formalised through two recent policy initiatives by the Government of Canada: its Feminist International Assistance Policy and ongoing bilateral mechanisms with Indigenous peoples organisations. Using feminist discourse analysis, we argue that the logics underpinning these initiatives are treated as mutually exclusive, with the result being solitudes across policy areas – Indigenous reconciliation and feminist governance – that should instead overlap. Our analysis suggests that in addition to failing to address systemic marginalisation, establishing exclusive domains of feminist and reconciliation policy reproduces gendered coloniality through the building of inter-national relationships. Ultimately, this results in a failure of both policy initiatives.