December 30, 2024
OPINION: Learning from Climate Inaction Canada Must Lead the Fight Against Plastic Pollution
Estimated reading time: 0 minutes
BY: Josh Laughren
Topics: Plastics
As the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) concluded its talks in South Korea, global leaders fell short of finalizing a treaty to combat the surging threat of plastic pollution. With another round of negotiations looming, one thing is clear: Canada cannot afford to wait. The time to act domestically is now.
Plastic pollution is among the gravest threats to our planet, endangering ecosystems and human health. Canada alone generates over four million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with only eight per cent recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, incinerators, or — most destructively — the environment, where it pollutes ecosystems, harms wildlife, and leaches chemicals into our air, water, and food.
But here’s the good news. Public awareness of this crisis is unprecedented, solutions are readily available, and Canadians overwhelmingly support action. Yet, as INC-5’s outcome reminds us, awareness alone will not translate into the swift, systemic action needed to reverse the tide of plastic pollution.
Lessons from History
As philosopher Georg Hegel famously noted, “The only thing that we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.” Hegel’s warning looms large today. The health of our oceans, planet, and future generations depend on us proving him wrong. Can we learn from the slow, fragmented response to climate change and instead move quickly to reverse the rapidly accelerating growth of plastic pollution?
More than 30 years ago, the Kyoto Protocol marked a global turning point in acknowledging the threat of climate change. It established clear, shared truths: climate change was real, caused by human activity, posed an existential threat, and required urgent action by governments around the world. Yet despite this consensus, progress faltered. Vested interests deflected responsibility, insisting that individual choices — not systemic changes — were the solution. Nations hesitated, waiting for others to lead.
Decades of inaction on climate change demonstrate that recognizing a problem and identifying solutions is not enough – it takes early, determined action. Today, the same pattern emerges around the crisis of single-use plastic pollution. Industry voices offer us misleading assurances: no need to reduce plastic production; we just need to sort our waste better and improve recycling. These false solutions threaten our ability to achieve meaningful change.
The Link Between Plastics and Climate Inaction
The parallels between climate inaction and the plastics crisis are no coincidence. The petrochemical industry — responsible for producing the fossil fuels driving climate change — is also the engine behind the surge in single-use plastics. As global demand for fossil fuels slows, these companies are doubling down on plastics production to secure their profits, compounding the threats to both our climate and our environment.
A Moment for Leadership
Stopping plastic pollution is an issue that unites Canadians. Polling shows that people from all provinces and across all political parties overwhelmingly support government action to end plastic pollution. With Canada’s own election on the horizon, all political parties need to be eyeing solutions.
The problem will not be solved by relying on individuals to recycle more carefully. And it won’t be solved by making small improvements to recycling systems. To stem the tide of plastic pollution, Canada must phase out unnecessary, hard-to-recycle single-use plastics. Canada must prioritize reusable and refillable alternatives. Rejecting false solutions like incineration, which releases cancer-causing emissions into our air, water and soil. We must ban harmful chemicals like PFAS and phthalates from all products. Corporate giants like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo must reduce plastic production, eliminate toxic chemicals, and phase out single-use plastics across their supply chains.
The Path Forward
Let’s learn from history, and the lost opportunity for swift, early action on climate change. Canada can lead the way. By addressing plastic pollution at home, Canada can set an example for global action. Protecting human health, safeguarding the environment, and securing a sustainable future for all.
Originally published on The Hill Times.
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