‘I am hoping for a historic decision from the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi’

‘The UN’s Environment Assembly marks out the course to be taken in global environmental cooperation. It is vital that countries work towards a common goal and cooperate to resolve the complex climate-related and environmental challenges that we face. As President of the Assembly, I will strive for the delivery of the environmental initiatives that the world needs. Our clear ambition is to ensure that the world secures a mandate to negotiate a global treaty on plastic pollution,’ says Espen Barth Eide, Norwegian Minister of Climate and the Environment.

‘We are hoping for a historic decision to initiate stronger global commitments on plastic pollution at this year’s Environment Assembly in Nairobi,’ says Barth Eide.

Key priorities

Plastic pollution is one of the world’s most rapidly growing environmental issues. Over the course of the next 20 years, the increase in plastic waste is forecast to double, while plastic leakage into the sea is expected to triple and the total volume of plastic in the oceans may increase fourfold.

Together with more than 50 countries, Norway is backing a proposal submitted by Peru and Rwanda to start negotiations on global treaty on plastic pollution.

Another key objective is to secure consensus on the establishment of a scientific panel for chemicals, waste and pollution, following the model used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

Norway is also in support of a resolution that settle a global definition of nature-based solutions which is critical for tackling the three global environmental crises.

UNEA part 2

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the fifth session of the assembly has been divided in two.

The first part was held virtually in February 2021. The second part will take place in Nairobi, Kenya from 28 February until 2 March 2022. This is the fifth session of the assembly to be held. As a result of the division of this session, the gathering has been named ‘UNEA-5.2’.

The 2022 session of the Environment Assembly will also mark the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which was established at the Stockholm conference held in 1972. Additionally, Sweden will be hosting celebrations in June 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of the original Stockholm conference.

Press contact:
Communications Adviser Martin Lerberg Fossum is part of the delegation travelling to Nairobi, and will be handling press inquiries on behalf of the Minister of Climate and the Environment. He can be reached by mobile on +47 468 19 812 or by email martin-lerberg.fossum@kld.dep.no.