Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Ministers of the environment warn the assembly that the world risks new pandemics and if things don’t change regarding safeguarding nature. The Ministers of environment and other leaders from more than 150 nations concluded the two-day meeting of the fifth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) via video conferencing.
As per the IANS report, the UN Environment Assembly meets biennially to set priorities for global environmental policies and develop international environmental law; decisions and resolutions are then taken by member states at the assembly also define the work of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the member states agreed on a two-step approach to UNEA-5: an online session and an in-person meeting planned for February 2022.
The report furthers informs that thousands of online participants which included more than 1,500 delegates from 153 UN member states and over 60 ministers of the environment participated in the meeting. The meeting was even broadcasted live and agreed on the key aspects of UNEP’s work, kicked off the commemoration of UNEP’s 50th anniversary, and held leadership dialogues where member states addressed how to build a resilient and inclusive post-pandemic world.
In the political statement it was quoted- “Looking ahead to the resumed UN Environment Assembly in 2022 – Message from online UNEA-5, Nairobi 22-23 February 2021” endorsed at the close of the Assembly, the member states reaffirmed UNEP’s mandate as the leading global environmental authority and called for greater and more inclusive multilateralism to tackle the environmental challenges.
The statement further added- “To strengthen our support for the United Nations and multilateral cooperation and remain convinced that collective action is essential to successfully address global challenges. More than ever that human health and wellbeing are dependent upon nature and the solutions it provides, and we are aware that we shall face recurring risks of future pandemics if we maintain our current unsustainable patterns in our interactions with nature.”
The Assembly agreed to a new Medium-Term Strategy, Programme of Work and budget for UNEP and a new strategy which will take will take UNEP from 2022-2025 – sets out a vision for UNEP’s role in delivering the promises of the 2030 Agenda.
News Source – IANS
Image Source – Google
