Key international meeting on legally binding international plastic pollution agreement set for Canada in 2024
The Government of Canada is committed to playing a constructive role in finding a global consensus as we collectively face a triple crisis: climate change, biodiversity collapse, and plastic pollution.
GATINEAU, QC, June 2, 2023 /CNW/ - Canada is committed to ending plastic pollution, starting with the launch of the Ocean Plastics Charter during the 2018 G7 Presidency, and followed by ambitious domestic actions driven by Canada's zero plastic waste agenda.
At the conclusion of the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) on Plastic Pollution meeting in Paris, France, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced that Canada looks forward to bringing the world together for the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) on Plastic Pollution in Ottawa in April 2024.
The Government of Canada is committed to playing a constructive role in finding a global consensus as we collectively face a triple crisis: climate change, biodiversity collapse, and plastic pollution. In the last year, Canada helped broker the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework, as host to the 15th United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15). The Framework adopted by all parties calls for the reduction of pollution risks and negative impacts from all sources by 2030 to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, while specifically reducing and working toward the elimination of plastic pollution. By hosting INC-4, Canada looks forward to playing an integral role in fostering international consensus toward achieving an end to plastic pollution by 2040.
"Fighting plastic pollution starts at home, but we can only truly get ahead of the global pollution crisis with concerted and coordinated international action. Canada is committed to negotiating a legally binding and ambitious international agreement to end plastic pollution. We look forward to welcoming Ministers and representatives from around the world to Canada in the spring of 2024 for INC-4 to continue the ambitious work needed to achieve this united goal."
– The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
- In March 2022, the 193 member states of the United Nations Environment Assembly adopted Resolution 5/14 to develop a new legally binding agreement on plastic pollution.
- The first INC took place in Uruguay in November 2022. The next scheduled meeting, INC-3, is set for late 2023 in Kenya.
- Canada is an active participant in this process and continues to advance global ambition as an inaugural member of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution and participated in a meeting of the High Ambition Coalition in Paris prior to INC-2.
- At the G7 Ministers' Meeting on Climate, Energy, and Environment, which took place in April 2023, Canada announced over $5 million to the United Nations Environment Programme. This will help to ensure inclusive, equitable, and transparent negotiations toward an ambitious and effective, legally binding global agreement, as well as other key priorities, including nature-based solutions and methane reduction.
- Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution
- High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution
- High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution Joint Ministerial Statement on INC-2
- Canada's Zero Plastic Waste Agenda
- Oceans Plastics Charter
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SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada
