Background

Despite growing public attention and new policy initiatives on circularity, the plastics lifecycle remains only 8 percent circular. Nearly a quarter of all plastic waste worldwide is mismanaged – polluting communities, contaminating ecosystems, and fueling open burning that harms human health and the climate. A drastic system transformation is urgently needed to shift from a linear plastics economy toward one that eliminates plastic pollution.

Innovation is a powerful catalyst for this transition. Material innovations, such as developing sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics, can reduce dependence on fossil-based materials. Business model innovations, including refill and reuse systems, can significantly cut plastic consumption. Meanwhile, technological innovations enable better pollution monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and more efficient waste management – helping extend product lifecycles and minimize the use of virgin plastics.

Project overview

Donor: UN Peace and Development Trust Fund

Implementing agency: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Implementing partners: Shenzhen Municipal Government (The Shenzhen Academy of Environmental Sciences), universities, small- and medium-sized enterprises, civil society organisations

Participating countries: China, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Viet Nam

Project duration: October 2024 - September 2027

Total budget: $ 1,999,000

Project goals

While innovation holds tremendous potential, many promising ideas still struggle to develop, scale, and replicate. The Global Plastics Innovation Programme (GPIP) — Incubation, Exhibition and International Cooperation to End Plastic Pollution – was created to change that.

Operating across China, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, and Viet Nam, the programme supports innovators, startups, and policymakers to co-develop and accelerate solutions that reduce plastic pollution throughout the entire plastics value chain. By fostering international cooperation and knowledge exchange, GPIP aims to unlock scalable innovations that help societies transition toward a circular and pollution-free future.

Key interventions include:

• Identifying and piloting innovative solutions to plastic pollution – including reusable and refillable systems, technologies for pollution monitoring and data generation, and improved plastic waste management approaches.
• Conducting studies on innovative approaches and capacity-building strategies for sustainable plastics management.
• Empowering youth engagement by supporting participation in global conferences and events focused on plastic pollution, innovation, and sustainability.
• Promoting South–South cooperation and knowledge exchange through a global plastics innovation workshop, peer learning opportunities, and the creation of a dedicated knowledge hub on plastics.