UNEA-6 wraps up with plastic pollution in spotlight
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The Sixth United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA-6) wrapped up on March 1, 2024, leaving delegates divided over the final Ministerial Declaration’s stance on plastic pollution and the Paris Agreement.
While some expressed optimism about the potential for firm action on plastics and commitment to the Paris Agreement, others criticized the declaration for lacking urgency.
Representatives from countries like Mexico, Colombia, Switzerland, and Senegal voiced concerns that the declaration did not explicitly call for expediting a legally binding agreement on ending plastic pollution.
Conversely, countries including India, Egypt, the United States, and Japan felt the document did not go far enough in affirming the importance of the Paris pact.
The five-page statement affirmed principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It acknowledged the urgency of addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, emphasizing the importance of science-based approaches and global solidarity.
During the assembly, 15 resolutions and two decisions covering various environmental challenges were passed. One resolution, sponsored by Ukraine, called for environmental assistance in areas affected by armed conflicts. Saudi Arabia sponsored a resolution on combating desertification and land degradation.
Overall, UNEA-6 President Leila Benali stressed the importance of follow-up actions to implement the decisions made at the assembly. Despite differing opinions on certain resolutions, there was a consensus on the need for multilateralism in addressing environmental issues.
The assembly also elected Abdullah Bin Ali Amri, Chairperson of the Environment Authority of Oman, as the president of the Seventh Session of the United Nations Environmental Assembly, succeeding Benali.
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