In less than a week, over 4,000 representatives from UN Member States and observers from around the world will gather in Ottawa, Canada, for the fourth session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee to advance a plastics treaty (INC-4). Previous negotiations have swirled around procedural issues, leading to delays and frustrations. As the clock ticks with … Read More.
In a little under two weeks, thousands of negotiators and observers will gather in Paris, France, for the second intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-2) to advance a plastics treaty. Center for International Environmental Law staff will join allies and partners representing rightsholders, workers and trade unions, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, and people living on the frontlines of … Read More.
As the world’s understanding of the plastics crisis grows, new facets of the problem emerge and reveal impacts on human health and the environment. Recent advances in science are allowing scientists to explore how micro- and nanoplastics form a critical piece of the plastic pollution problem. First thought to be mainly a marine pollution issue, … Read More.
As the world considers how to address the growing impacts of the triple planetary crises of pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss, many discussions point toward a circular economy approach as a much-needed solutions pathway. The term circular economy is routinely used in conversations and policy discussions that center on re-envisioning the full system of … Read More.
Learn what happened during the latests negotiations on the how to promote chemical safety worldwide.
At the end of May, 124 countries met in Dakar, Senegal, at an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) in advance of the negotiations for a new global treaty on plastics. Parties convened to discuss Rules of Procedure for the negotiations, nominate a bureau to set the agenda for and facilitate future meetings, and discuss the program … Read More.
Six years ago, a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution seemed impossible. But last month, the resumed fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) concluded with the historic passage of a mandate to do just that. One hundred seventy-five countries adopted a resolution titled End Plastic Pollution: Towards a legally … Read More.
Since 2017, state parties, regional groups, and multiple stakeholders have introduced formal propositions and issued declarations concerning a new global instrument to address the plastics crisis, demonstrating that movement towards such an instrument is picking up. But new global instruments do not happen overnight — before negotiations can begin, a mandate must be established and … Read More.
On December 14th, over 700 civil society groups from 113 countries called upon United Nations Member States to agree to establish a legally binding global instrument — a plastics treaty — at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA5.2). The main messages and demands were published in a Call to Action and presented during a two-sessions … Read More.
The global pandemic has placed unprecedented pressure on waste management systems worldwide, posing grave risks to human health and the environment. It will be necessary to develop ambitious waste reduction and management plans to build a more sustainable post-pandemic world. As the legal framework on waste and the waste trade, the Basel Convention and its … Read More.
We are in the throes of a cultural reckoning. While that conversation has often felt specific to the United States — and many parts of it are — this is an international reflection process, a deepening of our collective understanding of how white supremacy and racial capitalism have made an indelible mark on our collective … Read More.
The European Green Deal has been presented as an ambitious plan to transport the European Union to a bright, sustainable future for chemicals management. But is it really? The European Green Deal, presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on December 11, 2019, is meant to be the “boarding pass” for the European … Read More.
As plastic continues to suffocate the planet, the first comprehensive legislative plan in the United States to combat plastic pollution, the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, was launched today at the US Capitol. The bill, introduced by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), seeks to address the plastic pollution crisis by … Read More.
For years, wealthy nations have flooded developing countries with toxic plastic waste under the guise of “recycling.” Now, the international community has almost unanimously agreed to finally tackle the plastic waste trade crisis, but the US is, naturally, attempting to circumvent the new standards. The practice of shipping plastic to other countries has been the … Read More.
Is your cotton tote really worse than your plastic bag? Claims promoting plastic as a “climate-friendly” material have managed to inundate the social media landscape lately, perpetuating a fundamental misunderstanding of the link between plastic, fossil fuels, and climate change. Plastic and climate change are not mutually exclusive; they are inherently interconnected. Claims that plastic … Read More.
In May, 187 countries came together to take concrete action to address the plastic crisis. This important new rule will empower countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, to stop a flood of plastic waste from reaching their shores. While it can often take the global community years — even decades — to come to an agreement, it … Read More.
From March 11th to 15th, Ministers of the Environment from 193 countries will gather in Nairobi, Kenya, for the fourth meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) with the potential to propel our society into a new era of sustainability. UNEA, the official governing body of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the highest-level … Read More.
This blog post was originally posted by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. There is a global health crisis hiding in plain sight. It’s being transported along our roadways and released into our skies. It surrounds us in our homes and offices. It plagues our oceans, our waterways, and our soil. It’s even in the food we … Read More.