Nairobi, December 12 (EFE). – The Third Vice-President and Minister for the Ecological Transition of Spain, Sara Aagesen, reiterated this Friday that the “positive” outcome of the VII UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi is proof that “multilateralism is more alive than ever”.
“UNEA, which represents the environmental protection agenda, has reached very important agreements and resolutions that will also be fundamental,” Aagesen told EFE after the final plenary session of the assembly, the world’s main environmental decision-making body.
The Vice President praised the ministerial declaration adopted in plenary as “a sign of a broad global political consensus on environmental protection”.
The text – he stressed – reflects that “science remains at the center of action when we talk about the major challenges linked to the major crises: the climate crisis, the pollution crisis and also the crisis of biodiversity loss.”
“It also recognizes,” he continued, “the progress made in achieving a global agreement on plastics and the need to continue to work together.”
The minister also stressed that the declaration includes a “call to (…) extend contributions on climate change to more countries in order to make further progress and accelerate our commitments, especially on a day like today, which marks ten years of the Paris Agreement.”
“I think that they are positive advances. And I think I consider them more positive in the very complicated context that we were experiencing from a geopolitical point of view. The approaches to gender equality, which, strangely enough, were questioned at the beginning, are maintained.”
In addition, he added: “There was progress on resolutions that brought to the table issues that were not originally on the agenda, such as artificial intelligence, such as fires, such as chemicals, such as waste.”
“Something fundamental has been achieved: it gives solvency to such an important organization as UNEP (UN Environment Program based in Nairobi). The strategy for the next four years has been approved,” he stressed.
“The role of UNEA – he concluded – was very important and we will continue the construction together.”
Ministers and senior representatives of the 193 member states of UNEA-7 agreed this Friday in Nairobi on the need to provide “urgent and collective responses” to the world’s environmental crises, despite opposition from the United States.
Eleven resolutions and three decisions were also adopted on topics such as the environmental sustainability of artificial intelligence, strengthening global fire management, preserving glaciers and the global response to the massive influx of Sargassum algae blooms.
Under the theme “Promoting sustainable solutions for a resilient planet,” UNEA-7 welcomed more than 5,000 participants from more than 180 countries since Monday, including 79 ministers and 35 deputy ministers, according to the organization’s latest data.
Established in June 2012 following the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, UNEA has held seven sessions since 2014 with more than a hundred resolutions that have advanced action on key environmental issues. EFE
About The Author
