Ottawa – At 10:23 a.m. today, a Greenpeace Canada activist was arrested during a peaceful protest outside the Shaw Center in Ottawa. The protester was arrested for mischief but did not resist police. The activist is part of a larger group; „Plastic factories of the world“ Right next to the show center. Here, the Fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) is convening to negotiate the Global Plastics Treaty. “Global Plastics Factory” was a creative yet striking reminder for delegations of the urgent need to address the harm plastics cause throughout their lifecycle.
“How much longer will people and the planet have to suffer from the harm of plastics before governments around the world take strong action? Communities are being harmed by fossil fuel extraction, biodiversity destruction and plastic life. While bearing the burden of the air and water pollution impacts caused by the cycle, Big Oil and Big Plastic still make billions in profits at the expense of the climate and our health. The Global South, indigenous communities, and other frontline communities are being disproportionately affected by climate change and the impacts of plastics, most of which are caused by greedy decisions made by a few governments and corporations. I stand in front of the Shaw Center today to call out the injustice of climate change and tell the INC-4 participants that there is no more time to waste and we need a strong Global Plastics Treaty now. It's time for governments to prioritize people and the planet over plastic. said arrested activist Laura Yates.
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Note to editors:
For more information on Greenpeace Canada's actions today, please see the previously sent press release. Greenpeace ramps up pressure on UN mission to reduce plastic production by creating 'global plastic factory'
Photos and B-roll video of the activity can be found at: Greenpeace Media Library.
For more information, please contact us below.
Laura Bergamo, Head of Media, Greenpeace Canada
(email protected) ; +1 438 928-5237