Modeling a Plastics-Free Future: Global Ideas Lab

Modeling a Plastics-Free Future: Systems Thinking and Global Policy Innovation is an initiative of the newly established Plastics Center at Northeastern University. It convenes Northeastern faculty and students alongside international collaborators, including UN delegates and global research leaders, to co-create innovative solutions to plastic pollution. Through two interdisciplinary workshops, the project will map the complex systems of plastic production, consumption, and governance, and explore inclusive pathways for treaty design. This initiative advances the mission of the Center for International Affairs and World Cultures by fostering international cooperation, empathy, and mutual understanding through the integration of science, policy, and society in addressing one of today’s most urgent global challenges.