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“The planet was already showing signs of buckling under the weight of humanity” back in 1972 when the agency was founded, he explained to the event in Nairobi via video Message.
“In the following decades, UNEP and its partners would work with Member States to combat air pollution, restore the ozone layer, protect the world’s seas, promote a green and inclusive economy and raise the alarm about biodiversity loss and climate change”.
Delivering for everyone
UNEP was praised as a great example by Mr. Guterres Multilateralism is a viable option and can provide solutions for both people and the planet..
UNEP’s science and policy work, coordination, advocacy, and science have helped to correct environmental wrongs all over the globe and raised awareness about the crucial role that the environment plays for sustainable development.
“That work has never been more important,” attested the UN chief.
Stop ‘suicidal war against nature’
Pointing to climate disruption, biodiversity and habitat loss, and pollution and waste that threatens societies and life on Earth, he observed that “humanity continues to wage a suicidal war against nature.”
To address this, the top UN Official set out four targets, beginning with the need to protect the most vulnerable, ‘who now number in the billions.”
“We need to intensify international cooperation to provide the technical and financial assistance that vulnerable countries and communities require for greater resilience.,” he said, urging donors and multilateral development banks to “more than double the share for climate adaptation to at least 50 per cent of climate finance by 2024”.
Quitting coal
The UN chief also stressed that the world must reduce global emissions by 45 percent in the next decade to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
“This means no new coal. And no coal finance,” he spelled out.
During the UN climate conferenceCOP26) in Glasgow last year, Mr. Guterres was heartened by South Africa’s announcement of a renewable energy partnership.
He urged all countries, including those that have committed to getting rid of coal, to form equivalent coalitions.
“OECD must phase out coal [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]Countries by 2030, and everywhere else by 2040,” he argued, adding that “every sector in every country needs to decarbonize this decade, especially the energy and transportation sectors”.
Paving the way for success
Halting the “extinction crisis,” with an “ambitious and actionable post-2020 biodiversity framework to put us on a path of living in harmony with nature,” was the Secretary-General’s third point.
And his fourth was to “drastically” reduce chemical, plastic and solid waste pollution.
“That means tackling the drivers of environmental degradation, especially poverty and unsustainable consumption and production,” the top UN official said.
While encouraged by the UN Environment Assembly’s moves to establish an intergovernmental committee that would negotiate a legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution, he upheld that The financial and accounting systems need to be transformed in order to reflect the true cost and impact of economic activities on the environment..
Follow the science
“In all we do, we need to follow science and engage in multilateral action to make peace with nature,” said the UN chief, hailing UNEP for supporting science and facilitating multilateral action and partnership.
He thanked Kenya for hosting UNEP’s headquarters over the last 50 years – making Nairobi the global hub for the environment.
Warning that “we are nearing a point of no return’, the Secretary-General urged everyone to “Recognize the potential of working together in an active, open-minded and networked multilateralism,” flagging that “all countries have a crucial role to play in protecting people and the planet.”
Click Here Click here to see a photo story featuring UNEP’s work.
FAO/João Roberto Ripper
Farmers, who gatherer flowers in the Southern Espinhaço Mountain Range in Brazil, enhance biodiversity and preserve traditional knowledge.
