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It's time for the world to put an end to the "tragedy" of plastic pollution, says the chief of the UN's environment agency, and a "zero draft" of an international treaty to that end is now in the works.
Per the Earth Negotiation Bulletin, a summary of the second meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution, which took place in Paris in May and June, the "zero draft" will be used to "reflect differing views on elements related to the plastic lifecycle, such as identifying options on definitions and criteria along the plastic supply chain, including on problematic and avoidable plastic polymers and products, design for circularity, substitutes and alternatives, releases and emissions, and addressing means of implementation."
The instrument, which the UN hopes to have in place by the end of 2024, will be a legally binding one, though some countries, including the US, Saudi Arabia, China, and India, want it to be a bottom-up affair, with commitments based on capacity and best intentions, notes the Bulletin.
Others, however, want strong global commitments for all countries, but with common but differentiated responsibilities, considering the scourge of legacy plastics and waste left by developed countries.
The UN Environment Programme's In Read the Entire Article
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
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Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Calgary Social Enterprise Offers High-Tech Services by People with Autism
Meticulon, a project of Autism Calgary Association in partnership with the federal government and the Sinneave Family Foundation, operates as a social enterprise that renders high-tech services provided by people with autism, leveraging their natural abilities at requiring attention to detail, repetition, and sequencing.
