What to expect at the UN Environment Assembly this week

The opening ceremony of United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) at UNEP in Nairobi, Kenya. PHOTO/UNEP

By ENVIRONMENT CORRESPONDENT

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the world’s foremost environmental decision-making body, kicked off today in Nairobi, Kenya.

Hosted by the UN Environment Programme, (UNEA) brings together representatives of the 193 Member States of the United Nations, business leaders, civil society and environmentalists from around the world will come together in-person and online for the resumed fifth session of the Assembly (UNEA 5.2) starting from 28 February to 2 March.

UNEP’s Executive Director Inger Andersen outlines what to expect at UNEA 5.2, including progress on halting plastic pollution, stopping harmful chemicals in agriculture and deploying nature to find sustainable development solutions.

The overall theme for UNEA-5 is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”. This highlights the pivotal role nature plays in our lives and in social, economic and environmental sustainable development.

UNEA-5 is an opportunity for Member States to share best practices for sustainability. It will create momentum for governments build on and catalyze impact on multilateral environmental efforts to protect and restore the natural world on which our economies and societies depend.

Immediately after UNEA-5.2, the Assembly will hold a Special Session of the Assembly on 3 – 4 March 2022, which is devoted to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the creation of UN Environment Programme in 1972 (UNEP@50).

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