Gabon

Gabon has long demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and climate action. Home to vast tropical forests and exceptional natural ecosystems, the country has played an important role in advancing environmental stewardship and promoting sustainable development. Building on this leadership, Gabon has an opportunity to further strengthen its efforts to address plastic pollution and advance a more circular and resource-efficient economy.

With approximately 95% of its population in 2024 living in urban areas, this high level of urbanization makes effective waste management, collection and recycling systems particularly important. In cities and growing urban centres, inadequate waste collection and disposal practices can contribute to plastic leakage into the environment, obstruct drainage systems and increase pressure on local infrastructure and waterways. Plastic pollution also presents potential challenges for Gabon's rivers, coastal areas, forests and rich biodiversity, highlighting the importance of solutions that reflect the country's diverse environmental and socioeconomic contexts.

However, reliable and comprehensive national data on plastic waste generation, consumption, management and environmental leakage remains limited. Strengthening this evidence base is an important step towards developing a clearer understanding of the scale and characteristics of plastic pollution in Gabon, identifying existing challenges and exploring opportunities for more effective action.