Nairobi, 28 February 2022 – Ministers of natural environment and other associates from around 170 nations convened today in Nairobi to launch the three-day hybrid (in-particular person and on line) resumed fifth session of the United Nations Setting Assembly (UNEA-5.2). Amid issue in excess of intensifying hostilities in Ukraine and a phone by the UN Secretary-Typical for an instant ceasefire, the Assembly kicked off with large hopes to progress a world wide arrangement on plastic pollution, amongst a series of draft resolutions on biodiversity and wellbeing, green financial state, and circularity.
“Our Assembly gathers at a second of critical geopolitical turmoil. Extra than ever, we have to show that multilateral diplomacy can produce,” explained the President of UNEA-5 and Norway’s Minister for Weather and the Environment, Espen Barth Eide. “Plastic pollution has developed into an epidemic of its very own. Paradoxically, plastics are among the the most very long-lasting products we people have designed – and regularly, we nevertheless just toss it away. Plastic is a merchandise that can used once again, and then about and over again, if we move it into a circular economic system. I am convinced that the time has appear for a legally binding treaty to finish plastic air pollution.”
Inger Andersen, Government Director of the UN Natural environment Programme (UNEP), explained: “Over the very last week, we have found tremendous development on negotiations toward an internationally lawfully binding instrument to close plastic pollution. I have finish religion that after endorsed by the Assembly, we will have a little something truly historic on our hands”.
“Ambitious motion to conquer plastic air pollution must observe the lifespan of plastic merchandise – from source to sea – need to be lawfully binding, accompanied by assist to acquiring international locations, backed by funding mechanisms, tracked by sturdy monitoring mechanisms, and incentivizing all stakeholders – such as the non-public sector”, Ms. Andersen extra.
The resolution on plastic air pollution, as properly as the other pressing environmental problems, will be formally resolved by Member States in the closing plenary assembly of the Assembly on Wednesday, 2 March 2022.
The UN Setting Assembly meets biennially to established priorities for world wide environmental procedures and produce worldwide environmental law decisions and resolutions then taken by Member States at the Assembly also determine the do the job of UNEP. Due to the pandemic, Member States agreed on a two-move strategy to UNEA-5: an on-line session (22-23 February 2021) and an in-individual assembly which requires put among 28 February and 2 March 2022.
Attended by in excess of 3,400 in-person and 1,500 on line individuals from 175 UN Member States, 79 ministers and 17 higher-level officials, the topic for UNEA-5 is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”. This highlights the pivotal role character plays in our lives and in social, financial and environmental sustainable improvement.
The Assembly will be followed by “UNEP@50,” a two-day Particular Session of the Assembly marking UNEP’s 50th anniversary in which Member States are envisioned to address how to make a resilient and inclusive write-up-pandemic planet.
NOTES TO EDITORS
UNEP@50: A time to mirror on the earlier and imagine the foreseeable future
The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Surroundings in Stockholm, Sweden, was the 1st-ever UN convention with the word “environment” in its title. The creation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) was just one of the most seen outcomes of this conference of a lot of firsts. UNEP was made rather merely to be the environmental conscience of the UN and the globe. Actions getting place by 2022 will appear at major progress built as properly as what’s ahead in a long time to appear.
About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the top world-wide voice on the surroundings. It presents leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the setting by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to increase their quality of lifestyle without compromising that of upcoming generations.
For more information, be sure to speak to:
Keisha Rukikaire, Head of Information & Media, UN Atmosphere Programme
Moses Osani, Media Officer, UN Surroundings Programme
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