The president of the VI United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) defended yesterday that the world needs more environmental multilateralism, in the face of wars or electoral processes that divert resources that could be used to resolve threatening ecological crises.
“We are meeting in 2024, at a time of several crises,” said Leila Benali, the Moroccan Energy Transition Minister, during a press conference on the first day of UNEA-6, the world’s main environmental decision-making body, which takes place in Nairobi.
The forum, which runs until Friday at the United Nations complex in Kenya’s capital, will address the “triple global crisis” (climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution) at a “crossroads” where several “turning points” are to converge, he stated. “We are witnessing a series of wars and conflicts, some of them with major international implications.
This sometimes distracts governments and key stakeholders from devoting time and resources to the most pressing environmental issues”, he highlighted.
This year, he warned, “50% of the world’s population will elect their leaders”, which “could give rise to some populist movements in some parts of the world and also distract governments” from focusing on adopting “a well-established environmental agenda”. successful.”
In this context, the president of UNEA-6 called for “reestablishing trust in multilateralism” to respond to global environmental challenges.
The minister was asked whether the possible return of Donald Trump – a known skeptic regarding climate change – to the White House, in the November elections in the United States, could harm the call for multilateral action.
“Whoever is elected, we hope they take into account the fact that we are together in this fight”, he replied, without directly alluding to former North American President Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), based in Nairobi, he also defended the multilateral approach to addressing environmental challenges.
“Global environmental multilateralism is alive. It works. And it’s here to stay”, Andersen highlighted in his speech at the opening plenary session of UNEA-6.
“It is very important that everyone supports action in favor of the environment”, stated the Commissioner at the press conference, recalling that “no one on this planet is immune” to the effects of the “triple global crisis”.
UNEA-6 will bring together in Nairobi more than 5,000 representatives from governments, civil society and the private sector, including 150 ministers and deputy ministers, from more than 180 countries registered for the occasion, according to UNEP.
Among the participants in the Assembly, which includes all 193 UN Member States, are five heads of State and Government, including Kenyan President William Ruto, who will participate in the high-level segment, which will take place on Thursday and Friday. fair.
In the sixth session since the Assembly was launched in 2014, countries will consider around 19 resolutions covering challenges such as stopping desertification, combating air pollution or limiting chemical pollution.
UNEA resolutions are not legally binding, but are seen as an important first step on the path to global environmental agreements and national policy formulation.
The 5th UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA-5), which took place in 2022, in Nairobi, was marked by the approval of a resolution to begin negotiation of the first global treaty against plastic pollution.