President Uhuru Kenyatta has pledged commitment on behalf of Kenya to tackle the menace of plastic pollution. Addressing the United Nations Environment assembly @ 50 , President Uhuru underscored the importance of every member state committing to the resolution made in the three day conference held at UN headquarters in Nairobi.
The President lauded UNEP for the support of protecting the environment adding that Kenya had already started the fight against plastic pollution by banning use of plastic bags .
The member states unanimously adopted an ambitious resolution calling for establishment of a legally binding treaty to end plastics pollution by 2024.
The assembly that included environment ministers of various nations endorsed the landmark agreement during the plenary in what UNEP Executive-Director Inger Andersen described as the most important multilateral environmental deal since the Paris agreement of 2015.
“This is the most significant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris accord,” said Andersen.
On the opening day of the assembly, United Nations environment assembly conference President Espen Barth, said recycling plastics will play a big role in achieving a sustainable environment and fighting climate change.
Barth Eide, the outgoing president of UNEA-5 and Norway’s minister for Climate and Environment, said the reactions of governments, civil society and the business community will influence achievement of the global goals.
“Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic. With today’s resolution we are officially on track for a cure,” Eide remarked.
In her opening statement, UNEP’s Executive Director Inger Andersen stressed on the importance of fighting environmental degradation.
The conference brings together 193 member states, with the overall theme Strengthening Actions for Nature, to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
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