Indian-piloted resolution on plastic, nitrogen management steals show at UNEP


Devdiscourse News Desk | Nairobi | Updated: 16-03-2019 20:25 IST | Created: 16-03-2019 19:59 IST
Indian-piloted resolution on plastic, nitrogen management steals show at UNEP
India also hosted, in the High-Level Segment of UNEA, a session on "Global Partnerships: Key to Unlocking Resource Efficiency and Inclusive Green Economies." Image Credit: Twitter(@StateHouseKenya)
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In a first, United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) has adopted the resolutions piloted by India on single-use plastic and sustainable nitrogen management at the 4th session in Nairobi. "The global nitrogen use efficiency is low, resulting in pollution by reactive nitrogen which threatens human health, ecosystem services, contributes to climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion," reads the release of Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued on Saturday.

"And only a small proportion of the plastics produced globally are recycled, with most of it damaging the environment and aquatic biodiversity," further reads the press statement. In the session held between March 11 and March 15, UNEA's theme was 'Innovative Solutions for Environmental Challenges and Sustainable Production and Consumption.'

India also hosted, in the High-Level Segment of UNEA, a session on "Global Partnerships: Key to Unlocking Resource Efficiency and Inclusive Green Economies." A panel discussion held which had high-level diplomatic participation from Germany, Brazil, South Africa and senior management of international financial institutions.

"The mainstreaming of resource efficiency and use of secondary raw materials through partnerships and action at scale is critical for moving towards the green economy. It emerged that collaborations and action at scale is key to success," said the ministry. "The actions should be oriented towards having an inclusive green economy and blended finance will help in implementation whereas public finance should be provided to de-risk private finance in transformational projects," the release read.

The Indian delegation also participated in the panel discussion in high-level segment on "Need for additional commitments of public finance and the ways to maximize mobilization of climate finance." India highlighted that climate finance is an important lever for climate action related to both mitigation and adaption in developing countries.

The contributions to climate finance need to be in consonance with the basic principles of common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC). "Climate finance is more of an obligation of the developed countries, based on their historical emissions. The availability of sufficient, additional and predictable climate finance is a key for action," said the ministry.

"Importantly, the lack of pledged funds in the Green Climate Fund and the potential reliance on the private sector has been highlighted by many developing countries," the release further read.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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