Pollution is a blight on our air, our land and our water. And it is a blight that we, humanity, have created through the mismanagement of natural resources, chemicals and waste. The impacts of this mismanagement range across the triple planetary crisis.
Pollution is closely linked to climate change – with methane, ground-level ozone and vehicle exhausts all contributing to both crises. Pollution is closely linked to biodiversity loss, as one of the five key drivers of changes to nature over the past 50 years. Pollution is a huge threat to the One Health agenda – from deadly air pollution to lead and mercury poisoning, from antimicrobial resistance to persistent organic pollutants.
All these forms of pollution are a violation of the human right to a healthy environment.
We have much work ahead of us to meet our zero-pollution ambition. But the international community is mobilized to take ambitious action.
Last year, after a long campaign led by UNEP, the world finally eliminated lead in petrol, a move which will save many lives. This, I am confident, will be the first in a long line of successes over the next few decades, because there is movement on so many fronts.
The European Union Zero Pollution Action Plan can lead to systemic change as part of the European Green Deal. Thanks to Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, for this work. UNEA, at its third session, established a global ambition towards a pollution-free planet – which is now embedded in our work on chemicals and pollution.
The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions are doing incredibly valuable work and have made real strides. And the private sector is progressing through the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. The 2021 progress report from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation found a reduction of two per cent in the absolute amount of virgin plastic consumed by signatories reported, compared to 2018. Baby steps, which must become adult strides – but progress nonetheless.
And, of course, at this UNEA we have a historic global deal on plastic pollution on the table.
Now we must take the next steps to end pollution. But how?
We can start by implementing and enforcing existing laws and legislation, which already cover many pollutants. For example, over 100 countries have introduced legislation on air pollution. Yet people are still dying. Nations can follow up by translating the newly recognized human right to a healthy environment into national legislation that tackles all forms of pollution.
Of course, the UNEA resolution setting up an International Negotiating Committee on a global plastic pollution agreement is a huge step forward. I look forward to its adoption on Wednesday. This agreement could set a model for action in other polluting sectors – such as energy, transport and construction. The same principles apply to all polluting sectors: use a lifecycle approach, go fully circular and shift business and finance models.
Colleagues, it’s time to make bolder moves.
At this historic UNEA, we have the resolution on plastic pollution. A resolution on sound chemicals management. A resolution to create a focused chemicals, pollution and waste science-policy panel to defragment and plug knowledge gaps.
Once these resolutions are adopted, we must get moving on them urgently. Because every week of delay means people are dying. Every month of delay means that the health of our vital ecosystems is failing. Every year of delay means our climate is warming.
We have a zero-pollution ambition. Every government, every business, every investor, every organization and every individual has a responsibility to act to achieve it.
Thank you.
