Experts within the WGs collaborate to consolidate knowledge and scientific consensus on their topic of expertise that can be used to guide stakeholders and negotiators involved in the Plastic Treaty Negotiations. Upon requests from government and international organizations, a WG can also provide feedback and opinions on specific matters relevant for its topic.
Membership in the WGs is voluntary. Two preconditions apply for membership:
1) Specific and documented expertise, and 2) a Declaration of Interest
Beyond these preconditions, the WGs are inclusive and will seek to ensure global representation of scientists, and balance across age, gender and geographic location. The Secretariat and Steering Committee monitor and actively contribute to achieve balance by following up on the WGs and taking action to broaden membership in the WGs together with the WG members and especially the co-leads.
WGs are coordinated by two co-leads elected by the working group members. The co-leads must both be core members. Their role is to coordinate the work under the working group and ensure progression. The working groups are free to determine the topics of investigation and levels of outputs.
| 2025 Priority Area working groups | Co-leads |
| Plastic Products and Chemicals | Susanne Brander, Oregon State University
Martin Wagner, Norwegian University of Science and Technology |
| Plastic Product Design | Winnie Courtene-Jones, Bangor University
Jean-François Ghiglione, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique |
| Supply and Production of Plastic Precursors Reduction | Kristian Syberg, Roskilde University
Andrés Arias, Argentinian Institute of Oceanography, National South University |
| Emissions and Leakages | Marie-France Dignac, French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment
Florin-Constantin Mihai, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi |
| Financial [Resources and] Mechanism | Noreen O’Meara, University College Cork
Natalia de Miranda Grilli, University of Tasmania |
| Human Health | Jane Muncke, Food Packaging Forum
Megan Deeney, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine |
| WTO dialogue on plastic pollution (DPP) | Trisia Farrelly, Cawthron Institute
Richard Thompson, University of Plymouth Noreen O’Meara, University College Cork |
| Human Rights |
Bethanie Carney-Almroth, University of Gothenburg
|
| Science-Policy Interface | Trisia Farrelly, Cawthron Institute
Bethanie Carney-Almroth, University of Gothenburg |
Previous working groups have addressed
In addition to the above working groups, Scientists’ Coalition members have organized in ad-hoc working groups in response to the ongoing negotiations, producing scientific outputs to inform the process on topics including:
Each WG member signs a declaration of interest declaring their commitment to work exclusively in the public interest in a way that is free from conditioning by particular interest and ideology. When applying to join a working group, candidates disclose their interests and report any situation that may configure a conflict of interest.
The interaction between the working groups and stakeholders (e.g., in cases in which a specific opinion is required from the working groups) takes place in an open fashion. The secretariat keeps records of Coalition interactions with the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) and Member States.