World gathers in Nairobi to tackle global menace of pollution

More than 4,000 Heads of State and government, Cabinet ministers, business leaders, United Nations officials and civil society representatives have gathered in Nairobi at the 3rd UN Environment Assembly to discuss ways to tackle the global menace of pollution.

“Our collective goal must be to embrace ways to reduce pollution drastically,” said Dr. Edgar Gutirrez, the Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica and the President of the 2017 assembly at its opening here Monday.

“Only through stronger collective action, beginning in Nairobi this week, can we start cleaning up the planet globally and save countless lives.”

Everyone on Earth is affected by pollution, according to a new UN Environment report, “The Executive Director’s Report: Towards a Pollution-Free Planet”, which the meeting is using as the basis for defining the problems and laying out new action areas.

The report’s recommendations – political leadership and partnerships at all levels, action on the worst pollutions, lifestyle changes, low-carbon tech investments, and advocacy – are based on analysis of pollution in all its forms, including air, land, freshwater, marine, chemical and waste pollution.

Overall, environmental degradation causes nearly one in four of all deaths worldwide, or 12.6 million people a year, and the widespread destruction of key ecosystems.

Tags: featured

Category: Community, Features, Rehabilitative care