United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Executive Director Inger Andersen attends the opening of Unea-6 in Nairobi, Kenya. (UNEP/K. Worth)
UInger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Program (Unep), urged political leaders to step up and start a serious dialogue about the global climate crisis.
In an interview with email and guardian Political decision-makers tend to take a myopic view of the climate crisis, Andersen said on the sidelines of the Sixth United Nations Environment Assembly (Unea-6) in Kenya's capital Nairobi.
“Political decision making is a function of leadership” [but] There's a lot of short-termism in a lot of corners, so it doesn't matter if it's not my turn anymore,” Andersen said.
“I hope that countries will show leadership. It's not easy when you think about biodiversity and climate change, but it's not easy to lean in and try to take leadership. [is what is needed]”
The world's top environmental organizations are meeting in Unea-6 this week to discuss resolutions to tackle the global triple crisis of climate change. loss of nature and biodiversity, pollution and waste.
One of the main themes being discussed by participants is nature-based solutions, which Andersen believes are the most sustainable measures to combat the climate crisis.
“To work with nature, not against it. We need to include it as part of the solution, and we don't want greenwashing, but at the same time we believe that nature-based solutions will tackle the climate crisis.” It's a real solution,” she said.
Experts attending the conference shared their views on how nature-based solutions can be used to ensure communities adapt to the pace of climate change.
Andersen has long expressed concern that scientific knowledge and political will have not kept pace with the scale of biodiversity loss, and public awareness is needed to sound the alarm and force politicians to take action. He said he believes it is important.
“We need to be aware of where it is.” [citizens] take [concerns] “That will become part of the political debate, and that will lead to many countries enforcing environmental regulations and putting them on the books,” she said.
The UNEP chief said he looked forward to the outcome of this week's parliament, although discussions continue to reach a multilateral agreement among countries.
“I am very happy that air pollution has become part of the discussion at Unea. I hope that Parliament will adopt a strong resolution that will force and create awareness, but only if people It starts with making demands,” Andersen said.
As part of Unep's efforts to educate local communities about the triple climate crisis, the 2024 World Outlook report will be released this week showing how resource demand is expected to continue to increase in the coming decades. is.
This means that without urgent and concerted action, resource extraction could increase by 60% from 2020 levels by 2060, leading to increased damage and risk.
