Plastic waste is one of the greatest environmental crises facing our world today, with pollution generated set to double by 2040.
The Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) is committed to scaling up plastic action globally to bring about effective, impactful responses to the global plastic pollution crisis.
Our evaluation provided an independent and objective assessment of the GPAP and generated important evidence to inform the design and implementation of current and future GPAP projects.
About the Global Plastic Action Partnership
Founded by the World Economic Forum in 2018, GPAP brings together governments, businesses, international organisations, and civil society for a coordinated, targeted, and evidence-based approach to accelerating national and international plastic strategies.
By carrying out this work, GPAP is helping to build a circular plastics economy that generates long-term social, environmental and economic benefits for all.
GPAP is supported by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) through the Blue Planet Fund, alongside Global Affairs Canada, Coca-Cola and Nestle.
Our role
Jointly delivered with the Global Plastics Policy Centre at the University of Portsmouth, our evaluation examined GPAP’s design, implementation, outcomes and overall impact. We assessed GPAP’s progress towards its goals of
- reducing or improving management of plastic waste, and
- improving social, environmental and economic outcomes.
We paid particular attention to the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, equity and sustainability of GPAP:
- Relevance: we addressed how well GPAP aligns with the needs and priorities of target communities and stakeholders
- Efficiency: we examined GPAP’s cost-effectiveness and resource utilisation
- Effectiveness: we measured the extent to which the project is achieving its stated goals and objectives
- Equity: we considered the fairness and inclusivity of GPAP’s benefits across different demographic groups
- Sustainability: we evaluated the long-term viability and impact of the interventions.
We also considered the role of GPAP in the context of the ongoing negotiations for a global treaty to combat plastic pollution.
Methods and approaches
Our evaluation design was structured in three modules:
- Assessment of reduction or improved management of plastic waste, including geographic case studies to provide for an estimation of the current situation today compared to prior projections, modelling of likely impact by 2030 and an assessment of effectiveness.
- Enhanced social, environmental and economic outcomes, including a quantification of current impact, modelling of likely impact by 2030 and country case studies to provide beneficiary feedback and identify factors influencing effectiveness.
- Project performance, process and value for money (VfM), addressed through: value for money (VfM); equity and gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI); process; relevance, and; sustainability.
Outcomes and impact
Findings from our evaluation are being used used to inform strategic decisions and enhance project implementation. They are also enabling a greater understanding of the programme’s value for money and overall impact, as well as generating opportunities for collaboration, research and innovation between GPAP partners.
Additionally, the findings are an important contribution to our evaluation of the UK Government’s Blue Planet Fund, offering significant scope for synergies in terms of methods and lesson-learning across the Fund.
Read the Global Plastic Action Partnership Evaluation Report
Read the accompanying annex providing contribution stories and case studies from Ecuador, Ghana, Indonesia, Mexico City, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, and Viet Nam
