UN draws ears to Europe: must reduce emissions, waste and biodiversity loss

Only a few countries have made efforts to reduce their emissions in recent years. Others continue to increase them. The result is not as expected. UN warned Mineral extraction and processing are at the root of biodiversity loss, contributing to water stress and tripling the impact of climate change..

“It can’t go on like this. circular economy and sustainable development they are the key to overcoming challenges”, says the organization led by António Guterres.

A new UN report covering 54 countries, recently submitted to Europe’s highest environmental policy body, calls for greater commitment and decisive action to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. According to the UN, solutions arecircular economy” and “sustainable infrastructure“.

The call made during the Ninth Ministerial Conference on Environment for Europe was included in the report prepared by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

“The results of this assessment should be a wake-up call for Europe,” says UNECE chief Olga Algayerova. “The historic drought the region faced this summer has explained what we should expect in the years to come, and shows that there is no more time to lose,” he adds.

A clean and green future

While the report acknowledges that there has been “some progress”, it emphasizes: air pollution remains ‘the biggest risk to health in the region’.

Thus, despite 41 European countries recording a 13% reduction in premature deaths from long-term exposure to fine particles, “concentration levels continue to exceed 2005 World Health Organization air quality guidelines,” warns the UN.

The UN claims to reduce emissions from road traffic. pixabay

According to the UN, these are necessary.additional precautions‘; among them, ‘best available strategies reduce emissions and reduce those from road traffic“.

“Science is certain,” says environmental director Inger Andersen. “The only way forward is to secure a clean and green future.“, he emphasizes.

It is true that greenhouse gas emissions in Western Europe decreased particularly between 2014 and 2019, but this decrease is offset by increases in the rest of the continent. And although renewable energy use is increasing in 29 countries, the region remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which account for around 78% of its energy consumptionwarns the UN.

Report encourages governments to eliminate or reform harmful subsidies Developing incentives to promote decarbonisation by directing investments to renewable energy.

On the other hand, Europe’s river basins, lakes and aquifers are under multiple pressures and climate change poses additional challenges such as floods, droughts and waterborne diseases. increased water savings and by nature-based solutions.

record temperatures

“We know what we have to do and we have to act together,” Andersen says. “As citizens face energy bills higher than everto come record temperatures and if water tanks are reduced, countries must show that there is a plan,” he said.

A more efficient and circular economy, where production and consumption support each other and focus on resource efficiency, will help tackle increased waste and resource use.

The level of Spanish reservoirs continues to fall. EFE

Accelerate waste prevention in production, consumption and remanufacturing. financial incentives because tax relief is one of the UN offers. Other, create a pan-European e-waste management association to save valuable resources.

But now it is necessary to act, because even where there is a strong political commitment to the circular economy, such as the European Union, the waste generated continues to increase.

For example, mining has tripled in the last half century, and processing is responsible for more than 90% of biodiversity loss and water stress, as well as nearly 50% of the effects of climate change.

“As noted in the report, the UN has developed numerous tools and approaches to reduce pollution, improve environmental protection, reduce and promote resource use. transition to circular economy. Its implementation should be significantly accelerated,” recalls Algayerova.

“This is a urgent and bold political commitmentand behavioral changes by all of us before it’s too late,” he adds.

Reference document: https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/40733/EESPEEA.pdf

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Environment department contact address:[email protected]