Plastic Drawdown: A rapid assessment tool for developing national responses to plastic pollution when data availability is limited, as demonstrated in the Maldives

Governments are increasingly supporting initiatives to address plastic pollution, but efforts largely opportunistic or driven by national socio-political priorities. There is an urgent need move away from piecemeal single product instruments (e.g. use bag taxes straw bans) deliver system-wide strategies that minimise the most pervasive sources of pollution. Developing a common understanding jurisdiction’s waste stream and solutions available decision-makers vital build consensus across stakeholders align on evidence-based portfolio priority instruments. This paper presents Plastic Drawdown framework as boundary-spanning tool quickly create coherent, relevant, credible analysis visualisation for waste, leakage hotspots minimisation opportunities. Using new modelling with consultative structure, explores over ten-year period assesses impacts policy this projection. adaptable data poor environment typical many countries designed rapid assessment support decision making governments operating in highly resource-constrained context. The Maldives used case study show utility tool, where it highlighted potential reduce into marine up 85% 2030. built phasing out single-use supported Government’s set ambitious targets, announced at United Nations General Assembly 2019.