Governing Plastic as Commons: Polycentric and Adaptive Pathways to a Circular Economy in the Mediterranean

This paper analyzes plastic governance in the Mediterranean, a region critically impacted by transboundary plastic pollution. We frame it as an “inverse commons” – shared harm from unchecked waste accumulation. Other than commons theory, we apply polycentric, and adaptive governance, alongside circular economy principles. The research comparatively analyzes five Mediterranean circular economy initiatives. Findings reveal a reframing of plastic as a shared responsibility and the presence of polycentric governance architectures. However, there’s partial application of commons design principles (e.g., weak monitoring) and adaptive practices often dependent on temporary projects. The study concludes that territorial circular economy transitions require integrating commons thinking with adaptive and polycentric governance. Recommendations include strengthening multi-level coordination, integrating local innovations into policy, and funding regional learning networks to foster a resilient circular governance model.