Forging an inclusive and favourable climate for GPT advocacy in India
May 2024 - March 2025
Plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, with severe implications not only for ecosystems and biodiversity but also for human health, livelihoods, and the climate. The lifecycle of plastic, from fossil fuel extraction to production, consumption, and waste, is deeply interlinked with greenhouse gas emissions, making plastic pollution a key climate issue. Recognising the urgency of global action, the United Nations has initiated a process to negotiate a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty (GPT). However, in India, public discourse on the GPT remains limited, technical, and inaccessible to many, including those most affected by plastic pollution - informal waste workers, marginalised communities, and frontline environmental defenders. Furthermore, there is a noticeable lack of national-level coordination and media engagement on the treaty process, resulting in missed opportunities to shape India’s negotiating position in a direction that is inclusive and just. This project aimed to fill these gaps by building public and stakeholder awareness, enabling inclusive advocacy, and strengthening media coverage on the Global Plastics Treaty in the Indian context.