(KENYA)
International leaders pledged to work harder to tackle pollution during this week’s UN Environment Assembly meeting in Nairobi.
The three-day event, which concluded yesterday, welcomed over 4000 influential stakeholders, including heads of state, business leaser, UN representatives and celebrities.
The assembled environment minister signed a declaration – towards a pollution-free plant – that will contribute to ‘1.49 billion more people’ breathing clean air and make a third of the world’s coastlines clean. It will see nations champion sustainability and promote the integration of circular economy lifestyles. And $18.6 billion of funding will be made available for initiatives that combat pollution.
“Today we have put the fight against pollution high on the global political agenda,” explained Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment. “We have a long struggle ahead of us, but the summit showed there is a real appetite for significant positive change.”
He added: “It isn’t just about the UN and governments, though. The massive support we have seen from civil society, businesses and individuals – with millions of pledges to end pollution – show that this is a global challenge with a global desire to win this battle together.”
Around 2.5 million pledged to get involved in the UN Environment’s #BeatPollution campaign during the assembly. You can join that movement now.
