Oceans North

The Executive Director of the UN Environmental Assembly calls it ⭐️the most important international environmental agreement since the Paris Accords⭐️

AKA the

In March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly adopted a landmark agreement to create a legally binding international instrument to address plastic pollution through an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC).

Today marks the first day of the INC’s 5th negotiating session in Geneva, Switzerland.

While the committee had originally set an ambitious goal of coming to an agreement by 2024, the deadline has since been extended to the end of 2025.

Key highlights from previous INC sessions include:

✅ Momentum towards a lifecycle approach to plastic management

✅ Targeting reductions in plastic polymer production

✅ Agreement on a ‘Chairs Text’ to guide future negotiations

Items still on the table include capping plastic production, addressing chemicals of concern, funding for enforcement mechanisms, and the need for transparent and inclusive processes.

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This week, we’re taking a look at how communities in Inuit Nunangat are disproportionately affected by plastic pollution and how the can support a waste-free Arctic—stay tuned!

In search of a win for the 🐋 belugas, 🐻‍❄️ bears, and 🏠 town of Churchill, Manitoba in Western Hudson Bay

This area is home to some of the largest populations of belugas and polar bears in the world, and the surrounding communities rely on these ecosystems and species for both cultural continuity and local livelihoods.

Parks Canada has begun consulting with Indigenous leaders and the Town of Churchill in preparation for a feasibility assessment towards creating a National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA) in the waters of Western Hudson Bay. These efforts have stalled, but with growing interest in the region, it’s more important than ever that they move forward.

NMCAs are a tool used by Parks Canada to promote the ecologically sustainable use of marine areas by harmonizing conservation practices with human activities. In Western Hudson Bay, this means a future where the belugas, bears, and Churchillians can co-exist and thrive.

Establishing an NMCA would safeguard the waters of Western Hudson Bay while investing in local jobs, infrastructure and monitoring to support the Town of Churchill’s vision for economic growth.

Hear more about this journey towards an NMCA in a new short documentary by Pristine Seas—link in our bio!

🌿 Join the Pemsik Mawa'tasikl Anko'tmu'kl 21-Day BioBlitz! 🐚🌊
From July 7–27, explore the incredible biodiversity of the Pemsɨk Conservation Mosaic—a Mi’kmaq-led initiative honoring the deep connections between land, sea, and spirit.

Walk the woods, paddle the waters, or wander the shoreline—then snap a photo, upload your findings to iNaturalist, and help map the rich life across this powerful landscape shaped like Nukumi’s dress.

🎁 Prize Draws for:
🏕️ Most Remote Observation
📸 Highest Number of Observations

Let’s celebrate and support this meaningful work—because conservation begins with connection.

🔗 Learn more: www.pemsik.org
📱 Upload your finds to iNaturalist: Search “Pemsik BioBlitz”



Oceans North
CPAWS NS