The penultimate round of negotiations to adopt a global treaty to end plastic pollution concluded in the early hours of Tuesday with significant progress in narrowing down a draft text. However, difficult discussions remain on crucial issues such as putting a cap on plastic production.
The negotiations in Ottawa, Canada, this week were the second-to-last of five negotiation rounds to draft a legally binding treaty that, if passed, could be groundbreaking for the worsening global crisis of plastic waste. After slow progress in previous rounds, in which oil-producing countries clashed with others focused on reducing plastic pollution, many said Ottawa could be a turning point that could make or break the treaty.
More than 2,500 delegates attended the meeting representing 170 members and over 480 observer organizations. A record number of lobbyists also traveled to Canada for the event — a pattern that worries environmental NGOs.
About the author
Stéphanie Fillion
Stéphanie Fillion is a New York-based reporter specializing in foreign affairs and human rights and a United Nations resident correspondent. Her work has been featured in outlets such as Forbes Magazine, Foreign Policy, CNN, among others. She has a master's degree in Journalism, Politics, and Global Affairs from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from McGill University. In recent years, her U.N. coverage received two U.N. Correspondent Association awards as well as a Gracie award from the Alliance for Women in Media.