Please note: this page is being updated daily. Most recent updates are at the top. From April 23-29, Ottawa are hosting the fourth of five UN negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty (INC-4). The first three rounds were chaotic and dominated by Big Plastic trying to weaken the treaty’s ambitions. The clock is ticking but as host country, Canada now has the opportunity to help get negotiations on track and focused on what is critical to secure an impactful treaty – cutting plastic production. You can read more about the plastic crisis here. How to Take Action to support a strong Global Pl ..read more

Ottawa, Canada, 23 April 2024 – A global treaty that cuts plastic production and ends single-use plastic pollution is still within reach and governments have a duty to do all they can to secure it, said Greenpeace International and The Descendants Project at a press conference today. Campaigners and activists from impacted communities said Member States must ensure the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) meeting in Ottawa this week secures an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty that reduces plastic production and ends single-use plastics.   Greenpeace International de ..read more

Break Free From Plastic members and allies peacefully demand a human-rights based approach to the Plastics Treaty ahead of fourth round of negotiations Ottawa, Canada | Traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People —  Today, hundreds of impacted community leaders and experts from around the world came together in the streets of Ottawa ahead of the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to advance a plastics treaty, marking a pivotal “make or break” moment for the Global Plastics Treaty.  Native and Indigenous leaders, frontline com ..read more

VANCOUVER — Ahead of the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) meeting for a Global Plastics Treaty that will be held in Ottawa April 23-29, a Greenpeace International report revealed that 73% of respondents in Canada say cutting plastic production is necessary to stop plastic pollution. The poll was conducted across 19 countries and indicates strong public backing for measures aimed at ending single-use plastics and promoting reuse-based solutions. Key Canada findings: 73% of respondents say cutting plastic production is necessary to stop plastic pollution; [1] 70% of respon ..read more

Editor’s Note: This article remains largely unchanged from its original version published by Greenpeace International. A brief additional section has been included at the end to highlight specific insights and implications relevant to Greenpeace Canada’s audience. Have you ever seen a referendum that 80% of people would support? Such an event is rare, although not unprecedented. This is a remarkable result, which demonstrates broad support for the proposed measure: it is a vote to be taken seriously. Over 80% of people are in favour of reducing plastic production We know there is strong public ..read more

What happened when a Greenpeace activist showed up with a climate action banner at a Conservative ‘Axe the Carbon Tax’ rally? I’m here to fill you in! When Greenpeace Canada’s Senior Energy Strategist, Keith Stewart, saw that Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre would be holding a rally in Toronto, he decided to attend with his own sign — reading “Act on Climate Now”.  “Now more than ever, it’s so important to peacefully confront politicians who cultivate anger with lies and half-truths in order to bring in donations and votes. That is precisely what Poilieve was doing at that rally ..read more

GATINEAU — Greenpeace Canada delivered a petition this morning calling for a strong UN Plastics Treaty to the Office of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The petition was signed by nearly 50,000 people in Canada and more than 2 million people worldwide.  Ahead of the fourth round of negotiations (INC-4) hosted by the Canadian government in Ottawa from April 23 -29, the activists brought banners and a message in a large cutout of a plastic bottle for Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, calling for a strong Global Plastics Treaty and an end to the age of plastic.  “Gone ..read more

The following is a March 20, 2024 joint statement from environmental groups in response to the Parliamentary debate on the carbon tax: Canadians are suffering from the cost of living crisis. The rising prices of energy, food, housing and transportation, as well as the impacts of the warmest year ever recorded – record wildfires, floods and storms – have touched virtually every household in the country. We are not fooled: some federal politicians and many premiers are shamelessly exploiting Canadians’ very real economic pain for political gain. Climate policies have nothing to do with the hards ..read more

TORONTO – RBC’s new corporate commitment to drop clients who lack an adequate net zero transition plan means the bank should stop financing Canada’s biggest oil sands companies, according to a report from Greenpeace Canada. Greenpeace is calling on RBC to drop oil companies like Suncor, Cenovus and CNRL whose net zero transition policies don’t meet the criteria set by the International Energy Agency to evaluate corporate action on climate. Greenpeace is also calling on the federal government to use the IEA criteria as the basis for new rules on climate finance.  “RBC is clearly feeling th ..read more

Women have long been at the forefront of social and environmental justice battles. From protecting Indigenous sovereignty to fighting for gender equality, trans rights, food security, or climate and racial justice, women are tirelessly resisting oppression and promoting peace and solutions worldwide.  We know that climate change isn’t fair game for everyone;  and gender imbalances in decision-making can exacerbate the problem, making decisions that don’t really consider what women and gender minorities have to offer – their needs, skills, and insights. And guess what? They’re the one ..read more