This high-level side event, organised by Directorate-General for the Environment of the European Commission with support from UNEP, will set out the challenges arising from pollution for achieving our nature and biodiversity goals and to demonstrate how actions to reduce pollution also protect nature and people and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The EU’s zero pollution ambition for a toxic free environment as a contribution to the UNEA vision towards a pollution-free planet provides new momentum to tackle these challenges.
The side event will take place virtually on Tuesday 1 March 2022:
- 11:15 to 12:45 CET
- 13:15 – 14:45 EAT, Nairobi
Please see the recording of this event here.
- environmental protection
- Tuesday 1 March 2022, 11:15 - 12:45 (CET)
- Live streaming available
Practical information
- When
- Tuesday 1 March 2022, 11:15 - 12:45 (CET)
- Languages
- English
Description
Pollution is one of the five main drivers for biodiversity loss. The objective of this event is to demonstrate how actions to reduce pollution also protect nature and people and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Effective solutions to pollution are being deployed worldwide, often with success. However, pollution continues to affect every part of the Planet and continues to impair the achievement of sustainable development.
Many opportunities exist to strengthen capacities and collaborate to tackle major sources of pollution with more decisive action. This event offers an opportunity to dialogue on various actions and approaches and opportunities to further strengthen pollution reduction action as a contribution to nature protection and well-being.
The EU’s zero pollution ambition for a toxic free environment is an integrated approach focussing on prevention benefiting nature and biodiversity and contributing to all dimensions of sustainable development. It sets out a 2050 vision that leads to the elimination of harm to biodiversity and ecosystems as well as to humans whilst ensuring that pollution stays within the planetary boundaries.
Also UNEA has set out a vision towards a pollution-free planet with a time horizon of 2030 and countries have embraced the challenge of stepping up efforts and tackling key pollution sources, through the involvement of key stakeholders. What more can be done to move decisively in this direction and tackle main sources of pollution and thus protect nature and people?
Moderator:
- Patrick Child, Deputy Director General of DG Environment of the European Commission
Keynote speakers:
- Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries
- Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP
Panel discussions with:
- Hon. Carlos Eduardo Correa, Minister of Environment of Colombia
- Hon. Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of Egypt
- Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment in Sri Lanka
- Prof. Dr. Johan Rockström, Director at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
- Ms. Tatjana Hema, UNEP/MAP Coordinator for Barcelona Convention
- Mr. Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
- Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility
Side event - Programme – English
Communication on EU Action Plan: ‘Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil’
Contacts
General contact
ENV Zero Pollution team
- Name
- ENV Zero Pollution team
- ENV-ZERO-POLLUTIONec [dot] europa [dot] eu