On Monday 7 September the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) organized a global online event to mark the first edition of International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. The “Planet Unplugged dialogue” took the shape of a virtual roundtable bringing together eminent experts and government representatives on policy and actions needed to tackle air pollution and pave the way for enhanced global awareness and leadership for air quality globally.
Addressing a question on the relevance of regional fora to global action, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen paid tribute to the ongoing endeavor undertaken by the Contracting Parties to improve air quality in the Mediterranean through the “Road map for a Proposal for the Possible Designation of the Mediterranean Sea, as a whole, as an Emission Control Area for Sulphur Oxides Pursuant to MARPOL Annex VI, within the Framework of the Barcelona Convention”.
Recalling that the Roadmap was adopted at COP 21 Barcelona Convention (Naples, Italy, 2-5 December 2019), Ms. Andersen commended the commitment of the Environment Ministers of Mediterranean countries.
“Bravo to them for having found a way, recognizing the difficulties and knowing that they would have to deal with land-based issues, with maritime issues,” she told the global audience of the “Planet Unplugged dialogue”.
Praising the momentum initiated by the UNEP/MAP—Barcelona Convention system to reduce emission from ships well below the new legal limit set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as of 1 January 2020, Ms. Andersen said: “Here you have a convention that we are very proud to host as UNEP having said: let’s see how we can make this happen, realizing that this is an issue.”
The “Planet Unplugged dialogue” was moderated by Helena Molin Valdes, Head of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition Secretariat. In addition to the UNEP Executive Director, the online event saw the participation of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO), H.E. Cho Myung-Rae, Minister of Environment, Republic of Korea, Maria Neira, Director, Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health Department, WHO, and Wanjiku Manyara, General Manager, Petroleum Institute of East Africa.
In an op-ed (dated 24 August 2020) highlighting the environmental and health-related benefits of the proposed Emission Control Area in the Mediterranean (Med SOx ECA), Gaetano Leone, Coordinator, UNEP/MAP—Barcelona Convention Secretariat wrote that “the arguments in favor of Med SOx ECA are compelling. Acting on them would entail and demonstrate strong leadership. At this time further commitment is needed to cement agreement and move forward with the proposal.”
This year, the Mediterranean Action Plan of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP)—Barcelona Convention Secretariat is marking the start of Mediterranean Coast Day campaign by seizing the visibility opportunities offered by International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies to highlight the issue of air quality in coastal zones.
Mediterranean Coast Day is an annual observance under the Barcelona Convention that the UNEP/MAP Regional Activity Centre PAP/RAC coordinates with the support of INFO/RAC and other MAP components, and the participation of the Contracting Parties.
Photo: IISD/Franz Dejon - Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention attending COP 21 (2-5 December 2019) in Castel dell'Ovo, Naples, Italy
