Canada is providing dynamic leadership this year as G7 President, with a strong focus on healthy oceans, healthy seas, and resilient communities among other issues. I was honoured to be part of a panel discussion during the joint ministerial meeting (Environment, Fisheries and Oceans, and Natural Resources), also featuring Paul Polman, Unilever CEO and Marsha Smith, CEO of IKEA Canada, and chaired by Canada’s Environment Minister Catherine McKenna.
We discussed, and G7 ministers around the table concurred, on the need to shift our business models and our government policies to support a circular economy, where we can bring materials back into production instead of throwing them out as garbage into the environment – especially plastic which remains in our oceans and our water supply for centuries. I stressed that this will help us generate a triple win: good for the economy and jobs, good for our physical and social health as human beings, and good for the environment.
My excellent first meeting with Minister Sergio Costa from Italy (Environment, Land and Sea Ministry) focused on how we can collaborate to support Italy’s efforts in tackling marine pollution. Italy is engaging fishermen in this effort – a highly innovative approach! By some estimates, fishing nets account for up to half of the plastic litter by weight in the Pacific garbage patch. We are ready to help Italy in its efforts.
