Plan For The Ban: Global Plastics Pollution Treaty Negotiations On Pause

The United Nations' efforts towards establishing a legally binding global plastics treaty have encountered an obstacle resulting in recent negotiations coming to an end on December 1, 2024 without reaching an agreement. This bulletin, part of our ongoing "Plan for the Ban" series, provides a brief background on the treaty, the current challenges hindering its progress, and the next steps towards ratification. As the global community continues to seek solutions to the mounting plastic pollution crisis, the outcome of these negotiations will have implications on Canadian businesses.

Global Commitment to Tackle Plastic Pollution

On March 2, 2022, all UN Member States, including Canada, committed to creating a legally binding global treaty to control and reduce plastics pollution and waste.¹ The commitment was made by way of a resolution entitled "End plastic pollution: Towards an international legally binding instrument" (the "Resolution"). The Resolution