Ministers of setting and different leaders from greater than 180 nations convened right this moment in Nairobi for the beginning of the sixth session of the United Nations Setting Meeting (UNEA-6). With a concentrate on strengthening environmental multilateralism to deal with the triple planetary disaster of local weather change, nature loss and air pollution, this yr’s Meeting shall be negotiating resolutions on points starting from nature-based options and extremely hazardous pesticides to land degradation and drought, and environmental facets of minerals and metals.
The UN Setting Meeting is the world’s highest decision-making physique on the setting – its membership contains all 193 UN Member States. It meets biennially to set priorities for world environmental insurance policies and develop worldwide environmental legislation; selections and resolutions then taken by Member States on the Meeting additionally outline the work of the UN Setting Programme (UNEP).
“We live in a time of turmoil. And I do know that on this room, there are people who find themselves, or who know, these deeply affected by this turmoil. Our response should display that multilateral diplomacy can ship,” Leila Benali, President of UNEA-6 and Minister of Power Transition and Sustainable Growth for the Kingdom of Morocco. “As we meet right here in 2024, we should be self-critical and work in direction of inclusive, networked and efficient multilateralism that may make a tangible distinction to individuals’s lives.”
“We should additionally embody voices past authorities, of youth, indigenous peoples and native communities, by specializing in problems with gender and human rights, and leaving nobody behind,” she added. “And right this moment, and at this UN Setting Meeting, we should speed up multilateral motion to strengthen the environmental basis of sustainable improvement.”
As local weather change intensifies, 1,000,000 species head towards extinction, and air pollution stays one of many world’s leading causes of premature death, UNEA-6 will see international locations think about some 19 resolutions, a part of a broader push to spur extra bold multilateral environmental motion. The resolutions cowl, amongst different points, round financial system; photo voltaic radiation modification; efficient, inclusive, and sustainable multilateral actions in direction of local weather justice; sound administration of chemical substances and waste, and sand and mud storms.
“It’s time to lay political variations apart and concentrate on this little blue planet, teeming with life. Time to carry our sights to our frequent objective: a pathway to a sustainable and secure future,” mentioned Inger Andersen, Government Director of UNEP. “We do that by agreeing on the resolutions earlier than UNEA-6 to spice up multilateral motion for right this moment and tomorrow, and safe intergenerational justice and fairness.”
Greater than 7,000 delegates from 182 UN Member States and greater than 170 Ministers have registered for UNEA-6, going down beneath the theme, efficient, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to deal with local weather change, biodiversity loss and air pollution. Delegates this week will embody Heads of State, representatives from authorities, civil society, and the non-public sector.
“UNEA-6 comes at a time when the world can also be referred to as upon to speed up the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda if we’re to remain course on sustainable improvement. Sadly, for tens of millions within the creating areas of the world, together with right here in Africa, poverty nonetheless stays a every day actuality whereas financial inequality is rising globally,” mentioned Soipan Tuya, Cupboard Secretary for the Setting, Local weather Change and Forestry for the Republic of Kenya. “It’s towards this backdrop that the world shall be seeking to us right here in Nairobi this week to resume hope. And hope we should present.”
A sequence of leadership and multi-stakeholder dialogues and greater than 30 official side events and associated events are anticipated to lay the grounds for strengthened future world and regional coordinated efforts by the United Nations, Member States and companions to ship high-impact planetary motion. UNEA-6 may also spotlight the significance of cooperation with multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) – worldwide agreements that deal with essentially the most urgent environmental points of worldwide or regional concern and are vital devices of worldwide environmental governance and worldwide environmental legislation – with a full day dedicated to strengthening convergence of actions and sharing of experiences whereas additionally offering elevated visibility to the MEAs.
The participation of Caribbean States in UNEA-6 underscores their dedication to collaborative efforts in addressing the world’s environmental challenges. By way of lively engagement and dialogue, these nations purpose to contribute to the event of resolutions that pave the best way for efficient, inclusive, and sustainable multilateral actions: a delegation of 28 contributors from 9 international locations embarks on this significant meeting, representing a various collective dedicated to addressing world environmental challenges.
Among the many distinguished contributors are 5 ministers from Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, bringing their experience and dedication to the forefront of discussions on the triple planetary disaster of local weather change, nature loss, and air pollution.
“UNEA presents the chance for quite a lot of Caribbean Ministers of Setting to share their priorities and determine methods to deal with them in world partnership with the worldwide neighborhood. Caribbean international locations are additionally main the best way in paying their ‘Full share’ in direction of the functioning of UNEP – Mr Vincent Sweeney, Head of the UNEP Caribbean Sub Regional Workplace, current on the occasion, commented – They’re additionally taking management roles within the working of UNEP”.
The Caribbean States’ engagement at UNEA-6 exemplifies their unwavering dedication to fostering efficient, inclusive, and sustainable multilateral actions, as they contribute to shaping resolutions that may information worldwide environmental insurance policies.
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