What is disclosed is a water-based adhesive composition that is an aqueous dispersion or emulsion of a polymer component having functional groups that are inactive in a reversible manner in the adhesive composition as prepared; and a water-soluble, or water emulsion, or dispersion of a cross linker component having functional groups wherein the functional groups are inactive in a reversible manner in the adhesive composition as prepared. Preferably the adhesive composition has a pH of from 7 to 11 and a volatile stabilizing base component is used to inactivate the functional groups and to provide the pH. The functional groups in the polymer component and the cross linker component are activated when the volatile base is removed during lamination heat treatment. The adhesive composition can be used to adhere a variety of plastic films to metal substrates without reliance on non-water-based adhesives.