UNEA-6: Align investment with science for sustainability of environment, says assembly president

The world must strive to align investments with science and environmental sustainability, if the planet hopes to survive the triple existential threats of climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution.

While the world — especially developing countries — still need international financial inflows in order to grow their economies, such investments should not happen to the detriment of the environment, or worsen the already dire situation that many societies face.

The various actors must therefore become more innovative and “stay curious” about solutions that have not been tested so far in trying to achieve a balance between development and nature, said Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali. She is also president of the Sixth United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA-6).

There exist several examples of solutions that can work to protect the environment, human health and in particular, the most vulnerable communities globally.

One such example is the ongoing negotiations for the global treaty to end plastic pollution which could be reached during the fourth round of talks in Canada’s Montreal next month.

The treaty is largely the work of multilateralism and the same concept could be used to find solutions to some of the most complex threats facing nature, Benali told a high-level segment of UNEA-6 at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi on February 29, 2024.

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• UNEA-6: Nature-based solutions for climate facing a funding crisis, says Andersen
• UNEA-6: Over a third of global population living with solid waste, reveals report
• UNEA-6: Report raises concern on India’s reliance on single-use plastics; cites study to support reuse systems
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She added: “It is my hope that this UNEA will demonstrate that challenges are best addressed when the community of nations and citizens of the world join forces with an open mind. Our efforts today will be crucial to secure our world for the benefit of people and planet.”

“Responses to the current crisis to enable the striking of balance with nature are possible by embracing environmental multilateralism,” said Dennis Francis, president of the UN General Assembly.

This must however be coupled with efforts to support countries that are disproportionately affected by climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. “A healthy environment is a key element and an enabler of a just tomorrow,” he remarked.

Francis said plastics particulates were currently present in every ecosystem. This called for a hastening of actions to end plastic pollution. The plastics burden was getting too heavy for the world as exemplified by studies showing that the world’s oceans will have more plastics than fish by 2050, if urgent action is not taken.

The continued destruction of nature was having a direct impact on the health of millions of people through poisoning caused by pollution, heatwaves and changes in ecosystems, said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General (D-G), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The health of animals and humans was intricately woven together. This meant that when humans harmed nature, they ultimately harmed themselves.

“Our condition is rapidly deteriorating. If our planet was a patient, it would be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, all thanks to destruction of forests, biodiversity loss and contamination,” said Ghebreyesus.

If for no other reason, health should be one of the most compelling reasons why humanity must urgently tackle climate change, he noted. Humanity had collectively gotten itself into the current mess and must equally get itself out, Tedros added.

The WHO, he said, was ready to provide parties with the requisite science required to craft a strong plastics treaty. “Health should be strongly represented in the upcoming treaty to end plastics,” the D-G said.

Equally, the WHO fully backed the proposed resolutions on air quality, chemicals and prevention of pollution.

According to Paula Narváez, president of the UN Economic and Social Council, climate action was directly linked to 80 per cent of the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

“A review of SDG 13 on climate action must also be linked with others such as ending poverty, energy access hunger and others,” she noted.

More than 7,000 delegates from 182 UN member states and more than 170 ministers have registered for UNEA-6. 

The UNEA is the world’s highest decision-making body on the environment and its membership includes all 193 UN member states. It meets biennially to shape global environmental policy. The UNEA also defines UNEP’s work.

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