Major societal changes are needed to overcome an increasing amount of plastic waste in the environment. We must focus on sustainability and the long-term perspective. In this master's thesis, the focus lies on the plastic and marine pollution in the municipality of Oslo and the Oslo Fjord. It is a research report that aims to elucidate the background and motives for entering a public-private partnership on plastics in Oslo. In addition, there is an examination on what sort of partnerships exist and what is needed for them to succeed. The City of Oslo has created an action plan which includes a plastic manifesto. The manifesto serves as a tool to help private businesses achieve the goals of the municipal action plan. Furthermore, the findings show that the City of Oslo's background for participation lies in the fact that they have both a responsibility and an obligation to prepare measures to address the increasing problem with plastics. Their motive for participation is the need to collaborate with the private sector in order to achieve the goals they have set in their action plan. Therefore, the City of Oslo has invited local businesses to participate in a partnership. Several parties are involved with resolving the problem and have committed to the plastic manifesto. The background for participation, as stated by the businesses which have signed the manifesto, is characterized by a similar desire to solve the problem with plastics, however, their individual views and level of involvement differ. The results showed that the partnership studied here uses networks as its form of governance and is mainly an institutional partnership. Plastic pollution and surrounding themes are complicated, and the solutions are not always obvious. It is the responsibility of the municipality to lead this partnership, and it is important that the correct governance is put in place. For the partnership to succeed, it is important that the project coordinator manages as facilitator in a positive and insightful way. Since the partnership is at an early stage, further research, at a later stage, should study the process and its effects.

Master i sosialfag