The Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEA) is the decision-making organ greater global authority on the environment.
2,500 delegates from 174 countries have adopted several resolutions posed priority environmental issues, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (ODS), the climate change or illegal trade in species.
This article summarizes these resolutions in ten key to save the global environment.
1. Meet the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals
The ODS, approved in October last year by the United Nations, recognize the need to unite human development and environmental protection to achieve sustainable development and eradicate poverty and hunger in the world. Their leaders raised several goals for 2030 and its implementation will be a “priority” task at the UN. Measures to achieve sustainable development, environmental education and training are considered essential.
2. Support the Paris Agreement
The Agreement of Paris Climate Summit (COP 21) could be the starting point of an unstoppable momentum and rising to combat climate change here in the next few years. To this end, institutions, businesses and consumers must take various measures globally.
The UNEA agreed that the United Nations Program for Environment (UNEP) should accelerate support to countries, especially developing countries, to implement the agreement and access to finance and technology needed.
3. To combat the illegal trade in wildlife and its derivatives
Wildlife smuggling involves placing several species to the brink of extinction, embezzlement natural heritage of the countries and the strengthening of international criminal networks.Therefore new measures are necessary cooperation at national and international levels to prevent and eliminate it, declare it as a “serious crime” in the laws of countries.
4. Protect the seas and oceans
There are an estimated 5.2 billion pieces of plastic floating in the oceans, damaging the marine environment and its biodiversity. To address this problem have been sought strategies for governments and has encouraged manufacturers to consider the environmental impacts of products with microspheres. Coral reefs have also been one of the important elements of consideration.
5. Promote environmental care for better health
According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), some 12.6 million deaths are attributable to environmental factors each year. Among the resolutions adopted related to health and the environment, it highlighted the commitment to sound management of chemicals and waste. Exposure to lead has claimed some 654,000 lives in 2010; hence the need to ensure proper recycling of such waste, batteries large part.
greater efforts to combat air pollutants such as ozone and fine particles, causing half a million premature deaths each year are also requested. Indoor air pollution is also worrying: in Africa alone kills 600,000 people a year, mostly in the kitchen.
6 . Consuming and producing sustainably
Unsustainable production and consumption of natural resources and damaging the global environment. Consumers are essential to take rational and ecological habits. United Nations special emphasis on the prevention, reduction and reuse of waste food: a third of all food produced annually is lost or wasted in the world.
7. Protect the environment in areas affected by armed conflict
Countries should take appropriate measures to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law on environmental protection in areas with armed conflict. For example, the resolution of Ukraine to recognize environmental problems as a cause of armed conflict was adopted.
8. Consolidate biodiversity for the welfare of humanity
Biodiversity is key to sustaining life on Earth and the natural resources that enable human development. It is therefore basic to facilitate cooperation between institutions related to biological diversity.
9. Combating desertification, land degradation and drought
Every year the world lost 12 million hectares (the area of Andalusia and Extremadura together approximately) by desertification. Land degradation directly affects 1,500 million people worldwide, according to the United Nations. It is therefore urgent to increase global efforts to restore and protect the soil fertile.
10. To alleviate the effects of sandstorms and dust
Lack of air quality is a global problem causing the death of seven million people each year. A growing problem that deserved the attention of the UNEA were sandstorms and dust. Experts have called for the establishment of a research network worldwide this threat.
