The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) has recently welcomed seven new members - Angola, Bangladesh, Gabon, Guatemala, Kenya, Senegal, and Tanzania - bringing its impact-focused global network to 25 countries with a combined population of over 1.5 billion people to tackle the problem of plastic pollution.
Announced on January 23, 2025, during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, this marks a “pivotal milestone” in the fight against plastic pollution and solidifies the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) as “the largest global initiative” dedicated to tackling its root causes and advancing a circular plastics economy worldwide.
The growing community will continue to drive systemic solutions to key challenges such as advancing sustainable materials, strengthening recycling systems, tackling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and more.
Fresh momentum and new perspectives
The seven new countries bring fresh momentum and new perspectives to GPAP’s mission of amplifying impact, enabling best practice sharing, and strengthening national and international efforts to reduce plastic pollution.
Central to GPAP’s model are National Action Roadmaps – tailored, country-specific strategies informed by the network’s collective experience.
These have already mobilized US$3.1 billion in investments, created safer jobs for informal waste workers, and supported countries in achieving measurable progress on sustainability and climate resilience.
Reaching this 25-nation milestone is not just a celebration of numbers, it’s a testament to the growing global determination to tackle one of the world’s most pressing challenges. These partnerships are not just symbolic, they represent concrete commitments to rethinking how plastics are produced, managed and reused. Together we are charting a path towards a circular plastics economy that benefits people and the planet, said Clemence Schmid, Director of GPAP, World Economic Forum.
An urgent global challenge
Plastic waste continues to pose an urgent global challenge. With an estimated 6 million tonnes entering oceans annually and over twice that amount polluting land, mismanaged plastic waste is severely disrupting ecosystems, harming biodiversity, and threatening human health and livelihoods worldwide.
By uniting 25 nations under a shared framework, GPAP will drive collaborative action and innovative solutions that can help nations halt plastic waste leakage, transition to sustainable materials, and protect ecosystems and livelihoods from its cascading negative impacts.
Plastic pollution is also a significant contributor to climate change, responsible for an estimated 1.8 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) annually.
Landfill emissions such as methane – over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the short term – can be drastically reduced through GPAP’s systemic approach to waste management.
Promote circular systems
By promoting circular systems, GPAP aims to contribute to cutting emissions from the plastics sector while fostering economic growth through green jobs. It is estimated that circular solutions could create up to 6 million jobs globally by 2030, with the plastics sector driving much of this transformation.
Looking ahead, GPAP will continue to bring countries and other stakeholders together to build a circular economy for plastic across its entire life cycle and transform waste materials into valuable resources that can drive sustainable, equitable, and resilient economic growth for all.
