Plastic Treaty: INC 4 Meeting, in Ottawa

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The INC 4 gathering took place in Ottawa, Canada from April 23 to 29, 2024 with the aim of creating a binding agreement to tackle pollution in marine settings. Following the commitment of 175 nations in March 2022 to finalize the treaty by 2024 there is a sense of urgency matching the seriousness of the issue.

Goals:

The treaty seeks to prevent and decrease pollution at its origin safeguard marine ecosystems, adopt a life cycle approach promote global collaboration and establish concrete legal obligations. These actions involve setting targets for reduction advocating for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), limiting single use plastics, focusing on waste management practices, supporting research and innovation efforts and implementing worldwide monitoring and reporting systems.

Challenges:

Diverse Stakeholder Interests: Reaching consensus among governments, industries and environmental organizations presents a challenge.

Complex Supply Chains: Regulating the life cycle of plastics requires coordination due to global supply chains.

Cross Border Enforcement: Ensuring effective international enforcement remains a task.

Reliance on Plastics for Economy: Transitioning without causing economic disruptions requires planning.

Innovation and Research Gaps: Encouraging investments, in alternatives and technologies is vital.