With the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-3), entitled “Towards a Pollution-free Planet”, taking place in Nairobi from 4 to 6 December, the European Commission highlighted on Monday 4 December that the links between health and the environment are among the EU’s priorities, in line with the position agreed by the Council of the EU on 13 October last (see EUROPE 11883).
The EU and its 28 member states have announced 20 voluntary commitments on efforts to tackle plastics and pharmaceuticals in water, measures to tackle marine litter and funding initiatives that invest in measures to tackle pollution in Europe and beyond, at a time when the renewal of the glyphosate licence for a period of five years is causing great debate in the EU.
“An estimated nine million people a year die from pollution worldwide. With our commitments we want to give a powerful message to the world that we are determined to beat pollution”, Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella is quoted as saying in a press release.
NGOs and EU back circular economy. On Tuesday 5 December, the EU will, along with the UNEA, organise an event on the sidelines of the assembly on the role of the circular economy in the shift to a pollution-free planet. At this event, Vella will present the EU circular economy action plan – including the revision of the European waste directives, which are currently the subject of inter-institutional negotiations (see EUROPE 11917).
European environmental NGOs, under the umbrella of the EEB (European Environmental Bureau) launched a call on Monday for global action on waste, urging world leaders to implement binding measures to ensure transition to a plastic-free society and a circular economy. They point out in a press release that, according to the 12th UN Sustainable Development Goal, the wasteful production and consumption of resources is leading to increasing air, soil and ocean pollution which translates into social injustice when those with economic power exploit the planet’s resources to the detriment of poorer communities or the average citizen. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)