PUBLICATIONS
Below you will find our more recent publications related to plastic footprinting, ecodesign and planetary boundaries
Plastic
Enabling Corporate
Plastics Disclosure
2022
We are publishing this white paper ahead of the start of negotiations on an international legally binding
instrument on plastic pollution (INC-1 in Punta del Este, 28 Nov- 2 Dec, 2022), with the aim to:
• Understand the plastic-related metrics that companies are using (for plastic that is put on the
market and the fate of the plastic waste created) and for what purposes they are using them;
• Open the debate on the harmonization of plastic-related metrics for disclosure purposes – with
the goal to develop a global corporate accountability framework that will allow tracking of
corporate progress on their targets (adjacent to or integrated into country-level reporting)
Benchmark of
Plastic Hotspotting Methodologies
2022
The purpose of this report is to conduct a
review of the existing methodologies which assess
plastic waste flows and leakage into the environment
and more specifically, plastic leakage into
waterways and entering oceans and seas
Planet Positive Chemicals
2022
The resulting report is not only
about whether the chemicals system can reach net zero Scope 1-3 but how. The
analysis suggests that the chemicals value chain has multiple pathways to reach
net zero if action is taken soon enough, but each of these pathways present varying
degrees of risk and opportunity
WBCSD SPHERE_the packaging sustainability framework
2022
The SPHERE framework
supports decision-makers
in navigating all aspects of
the environmental impact of
packaging design, aiming for
a net-zero and nature positive
future.
Plastic Paints the Environment
2022
This report provides a global assessment of the level of plastic paint leakage worldwide.
It is based on the baseline year 2019 with a global paint demand of 52 Mt, that included 19.5 Mt of plastics and distributed across different sectors: Architectural, Marine, Road Marking, General Industrial, Automotive and Industrial Wood and Others.
Climate Change and Sustainability: Mediterranean Perspectives
2021
This volume examines the challenges and interlinkages between climate change and sustainable development across the Mediterranean, where the climate crisis is further aggravating pre-existing political, social, economic and environmental fragilities.
Plastic Pollution Hotspotting and Shaping Action, Regional Results from Eastern
and Southern Africa, the
Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia
2021
This Report showcases the use of the guidance
presented in the UNEP/IUCN National Guidance
for Plastic Pollution Hotspotting and Shaping
Action, in the context of eight pilot sites in Eastern and Southern Africa, the Mediterranean
and Southeast Asia. This
publication compares the three regions and
provides situational analyses in terms of hotspots
and interventions to address plastic pollution.
Guidelines for Corporate Plastic Stewardship
2021
These Guidelines are the first integrated framework to comprise combined best practices for standardised accounting and reporting of plastic footprints, footprint mitigation methods and commitments to reducing plastic waste and achieving circularity.
Plastic Leak Guidance
2020
Industry guidance for performing corporate and/or product plastic leakage assessment.
Includes calculation routes and generic data. Full dataset available in the "Data&Tool" section of this website.
This document constitutes the current state of the art for computing plastic footprints and intends to complement the LCA framework with a new plastic leakage indicator.
This work has been realised in partnership with Quantis.
Evaluating scenarios towards zero plastic pollution
2020
Prospective modelling of plastic leakage by 2040.
Evaluation of plastic leakage mitigation showing that current commitment only allow 7% abatement when more systemic change could yield a 80% abatement of plastic pollution.
This work has been managed by Pew and Systemiq and in conjunctions with 20 other experts - this publication is linked to the full Breaking the Plastic Wave report.
National Guidance for plastic pollution hotspotting
2020
Guidance for countries and cities on measuring plastic leakage and defining plastic pollution mitigation strategies.
9 tools and modules to guide the process from data-collection to action
Currently being tested in 10 countries in collaboration with Quantis for UNEP and IUCN. The full set of modules and tools is available from the "Data&Tool" section of this website.
The Mediterranean mare plasticum 2020
2020
Estimation of the stock of plastic accumulated in the Med Sea.
Modelling of the flows of plastic leaking in the Med Sea.
Comparison of both approaches shows that the stock and flow models are consistent.
Plastic leakage drawdown model shows current commitment are insufficient to solve the crisis.
This work has been prepared for the IUCN.
Breaking thee plastic wave
2020
Prospective modeling of plastic leakage by 2040.
Evaluation of plastic leakage mitigation showing that current commitment only allow 7% abattement when more systemic change could yield a 80% abatement of plastic pollution.
This work has been managed by Pew and Systemiq and in conjunctions with 20 other experts - this publication is linked with the article published in Science Journal.
The marine plastic footprint
2019
First guidance to compute plastic footprint at product or country level
Case study on the Baltic region.
This document was the starting point for developing the plastic leak project.
This report has been prepared for the IUCN.
The Challenges of measuring plastic pollution
2019
This report summarises the current scientific gaps and challenge for developing actionable metrics to assess plastic leakage and impacts.
Plastic fluxes and stocks in lake Geneva
2018
Assessment of plastic leakage in Lake Geneva
First study to compare top-down and bottom-up approaches for plastic leakage modelling
This publication has been prepared in collaboration with the EPFL and ASL.
Review of plastic footprint methodologies
2018
Review of existing plastic footprint methodologies
Identification of existing gaps and track for action.
This report has been prepared for the IUCN.
Primary microplastics in the oceans
2017
First global assessment of microplastic leakage in the ocean and regional comparison with leakage from mismanaged waste
This report has been prepared for the IUCN.
Ecodesign
What is the carbon footprint of primary care
practices? A retrospective life-cycle analysis
in Switzerland
This article shows that an optimizing structural and organisational aspects of practice work could have a major impact on the
carbon footprint of primary care practices without large-scale changes in medical activities.
2022
Which strategy for using medical and community masks? A prospective analysis of their environmental impact
This study provides an environmental assessment based on three indicators (GWP 100, UBP and plastic leakage) for different mask type and use strategies.
2021
Recommandations pour l'écoconceptions des cabinets de médicine de famille
This article describes a research analyses the origin of the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions for the primary healthcare sector in Switzerland and demonstrates they could be reduced by if applying appropriate eco-design solutions.
2021
Ecoconception du cabinet de médecine de famille : concepts et vision d’avenir
The article describes the current challenges of applying ecodesign in the medical field and most specifically in the case of healthcare doctors. You can find more information about this research in the "project" section of the website.
2019
How to Avoid Pigeonholing the Environmental Manager?
The research investigates the role the environmental manager plays to ensure a successful (or not) implementation of ecodesign within an organisation. The article proposes the SEA (Shaping Environmental Action) model to facilitate ecodesign implementation. The model is based on 4 pillars: information, motivation, organisation, and strategy. This model served as the basis for developing the ecodesign maturity meter (See the "tool" section of the website).
2018
Adopting a life cycle perspective through ISO14001: a game changer
This report is intended as a guidance document to enable the understanding of the full consequences of integrating life cycle thinking within ISO 14001 management systems and of how new opportunities arising from the integration may be seized.
2017
Planetary Boundaries
Is Europe living within the limits of our planet?
What are the main principles to allocate Planetary Boundaries to countries and regions?
What is the EU performance over time with respect to these principles?
This background report is the core of the join EEA/FOEN publication.
2020
National environmental limits and footprints based on the Planetary Boundaries framework: the case of Switzerland
This research proposes an approach to allocate global planetary boundaries to a country and too determine whether the country is operating within these limits in a sustainable manner. The case of Switzerland is developed.
2018
Environmental limits and Swiss footprints based on Planetary Boundaries
One of the first systematic application of the Planetary Boundaries framework to countries
The developed methodology has now been applied by the European Environmental Agency.
Computed limits, footprints and performances are presented for Switzerland and the World.
This work has been realised in partnership with UNIGE and UNEP/GRID, for the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment.
2015
Are we beyond the limits of our planet? What are the limits of our consumption on the Earth systems? Which countries contributes the most to these impacts?
First global evaluation of the environmental performance of countries with respect to the Planetary Boundaries.
More than 40 distinct countries/regions are considered.
This work has been realized in partnership with UNIGE and UNEP/GRID, on a grant from the Boninchi foundation.