Since production and consumption patterns are global, GPAP is also working with the Forum’s Future of Trade and Investment Platform to understand plastics value chains. Plastic and plastic waste flows, along with trade barriers that may hold back pollution reduction strategies, were identified through a community white paper issued by the World Economic Forum in July 2020. The report examines where trade policy could help stakeholders’ efforts to shift to cost-efficient, sustainable plastic alternatives and boost better end-of-life management including through recycling and circular approaches. The release was timely given implementation from January 2021 by parties to the Basel Convention – an international treaty designed to reduce the movements of hazardous and other types of waste between nations – of an amendment to include most types of plastic waste under controlled trade processes. The move adds further context to considerations around circular plastics strategies.