Ministers and delegates from 170 countries put their minds together to set global Green agenda
The world needed to moves faster towards a new development model vis-à-vis the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, the United Nations Environment Assembly observed. Environment ministers of more than 170 countries adopted a blueprint for change.
Putting a curb on single-use plastics is big in their scheme of things. “We will address the damage to our ecosystems caused by the unsustainable use and disposal of plastic products, including by significantly reducing single-use plastic products by 2030, and we will work with the private sector to find affordable and environmentally friendly products,” the ministers said.
Innovative solutions and sustainable consumption and production patterns figured high in their priorities to combat increasing pollution, rapid global warming and depletion of resources.
“We will improve national resource management strategies with integrated full lifecycle approaches and analysis to achieve resource-efficient and low-carbon economies,” they said.
This would be done by:
The delegates at the Assembly also adopted a series of non-binding resolutions “covering the logistics of shifting to a business-unusual model of development.” These included:
The assembly was held March 11-15, 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. Apart from ministers, the 4,700-plus delegates included scientists, academics, business leaders and the civil society.
The outcome is expected to set the global agenda ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit, scheduled in September.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.