Mon, Jan 30, 2012 -
Heads of State from over thirty African
countries have taken part in an event to
mark the 40th anniversary of the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
President Mwai Kibaki
of Kenya with UNEP Executive Director Achim
Steiner and United Nations Office at Nairobi
(UNON) Director-General Sahle-Work Zewde
at the anniversary event in Addis Ababa.
Addis Ababa / Nairobi,
30 January 2012 - Heads of state from over
thirty African countries have taken part
in an event to mark the 40th anniversary
of the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) held during the 18th African Union
(AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The luncheon was hosted
by President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, who was
joined by 33 African Heads of State and
Government, Ministers of Foreign Affairs
and Environment from most AU member states,
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Chairperson
of the AU Commission Jean Ping, UNEP Executive
Director Achim Steiner and representatives
of other UN agencies.
"Through UNEP's
leadership, many international agreements
have been developed. It has also galvanized
global action in areas such as ozone layer,
climate change, chemicals management and
biological diversity. It is my hope that
UNEP will contribute towards a safer earth
for humanity," he added.
"The African continent
must play a leading role in protecting ecosystems
and ensuring a healthy environment. It will
continue to support UNEP towards achieving
these goals," said newly-appointed
Chairman of the African Union President
Boni Yayi of Benin at the event.
President Denis Sassou
Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo said
that during its forty year history, UNEP
had proved to be "a loyal companion
of Africa".
He added that the forthcoming
Rio+20 conference would be a crossroads
for the continent and the international
community.
"Rio+20 is an opportunity
for Africa and for the world to establish
the basis for a new beginning, with concrete
actions which favour the transition towards
sustainable development through the green
economy and reform of the institutional
framework of sustainable development,"
he said.
United Nations Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon thanked President Kibaki for
hosting the anniversary event, and expressed
his gratitude to the people of Kenya for
hosting UNEP in Nairobi since the organization's
founding in 1972.
"Looking to the
future, UNEP is a pioneer of the green economy,
which will figure front and centre at the
Rio+20 conference in June", said Mr.
Ban.
"There is thus
little wonder that calls are growing for
UNEP to be given more global influence.
Environmental, economic and social indicators
tell us that our current model of progress
is unsustainable. Sustainable development
offers the best chance to adjust our course.
From Rio+20 and beyond, I will rely on UNEP
to continue to provide the cutting edge
ideas the world so sorely needs," he
added.
The Chairperson of the
AU Commission Jean Ping said UNEP had contributed
significantly to Africa's "ecological
awakening" and expressed the continent's
support for the transformation of UNEP into
a specialized UN agency for the environment.
Mr. Ping assured that
the AU Commission would continue its work
to mobilize regional and international institutions
in support of African positions and interests
in the run-up to Rio+20 ? especially with
regards to the forthcoming 3rd Intersessional
Meeting in New York in March 2012.
UNEP Executive Director
Achim Steiner told assembled Heads of State
that the decision taken forty years ago
to host UNEP in Kenya has served to improve
the world's understanding of the links between
development and environment, and the importance
of environmental services and natural resources
in shaping the development path of nations.
"The world of 2012
is light years from the world of 40 and
20 years ago economically, socially and
environmentally?not least in Africa",
said Mr Steiner.
"Together with
Africa, UNEP has evolved to meet the challenges
of this very different world. Together,
as a result of your collective leadership
and vision and as a result of the Rio+20
Summit, we may be embarking on a new chapter
of opportunities for not only Africa but
the world. UNEP's 40th anniversary is on
one hand about celebrating 40 years of history.
But it may be equally a year of history-in-the-making
and a date just as special as Stockholm
1972," he added.
The event came to a
close with a cake cutting ceremony with
President Kibaki, Achim Steiner, and Sahle-Work
Zewde, Director-General of the UN Office
at Nairobi (UNON).
Countries Adopt Manila Declaration to Strengthen
Protection of Global Marine Environment
Fri, Jan 27, 2012
Representatives from 65 countries have agreed
to step up efforts to protect the world's
oceans from land-based activities, while
underlining the central role played by the
marine environment in the transition to
a green economy.
Former President of
the Philippines Fidel V. Ramos addressing
the Global Conference on Land-Oceans Connections.
Photo: IISD
Manila/Nairobi, 27 January
2011 - Representatives from 65 countries
have agreed to step up efforts to protect
the world's oceans from land-based activities,
while underlining the central role played
by the marine environment in a transition
to a low carbon, resource-efficient green
economy.
UNEP Regional Seas Programme
Third Intergovernmental Review Meeting on
the Implementation of the GPAThe Manila
Declaration was adopted at the Third Intergovernmental
Review Meeting (IGR-3) on the Implementation
of the Global Programme of Action for the
Protection of the Marine Environment from
Land-based Activities (GPA), hosted by the
Government of the Philippines and organized
by the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP). The event brought together environment
ministers, marine scientists, NGOs, representatives
of financial institutions and other organizations,
with the aim of delivering new policies
and actions to improve the sustainable management
of oceans and coasts.
Under the Manila Declaration,
signatories reaffirmed their commitment
to develop policies to reduce and control
wastewater, marine litter and pollution
from fertilizers.
The agreement contains
a total of 16 provisions focusing on actions
to be taken between 2012 and 2016 at international,
regional and local levels.
Among these is a call
for countries to develop guidance and policies
on the sustainable use of nutrients to improve
the efficiency of fertilizers such as nitrogen
or phosphorous. This would bring economic
benefits for farmers, while mitigating negative
environmental impacts such as algal blooms
caused by agricultural run-off.
"The Manila Declaration
signals a new way forward for all of us,"
said UNEP Deputy Executive Director Amina
Mohamed, who led the UNEP delegation at
the conference.
"The UN Conference
on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June
is an excellent opportunity to take the
Manila Declaration to a global audience
and initiate action to reduce the impact
of land-based activities on the marine environment.
It is essential that we sustain our momentum
to achieve on-the-ground improvements in
the health of ocean and coastal ecosystems,
for which the continued and co-ordinated
effort of the international community is
vital," added Ms. Mohamed.
The recommendations
in the Manila Declaration focus on furthering
the implementation of the Global Programme
of Action for the Protection of the Marine
Environment (GPA), which is hosted by UNEP.
The GPA - the only global
initiative directly addressing the connectivity
between terrestrial, freshwater, coastal
and marine ecosystems - targets major threats
to the health, productivity and biodiversity
of the marine and coastal environment which
result from human activities on land.
"I strongly believe
that what transpired the past four days
is a giant leap forward towards the improvement
of our coastal and marine environment,"
said Secretary of the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources of the Philippines,
Ramon J. P. Paje.
"[The Manila Declaration]
will provide us with directions on our way
towards the development of our coastal and
marine environment within the prism of a
green economy", added Secretary Paje.
Signatories to the Manila
Declaration underlined the importance of
healthy oceans and coasts in supporting
livelihoods and food security - especially
in Small Island Developing States.
The Declaration calls
for collaborative action to reduce the vulnerability
of coastal communities to climate change
and to tackle biodiversity loss, persistent
organic pollutants (POPs) and ocean acidification
resulting land-based activities.
Prior to the signing
of the declaration, UNEP and partners launched
the Green Economy in a Blue World report,
which outlines pathways for a green economy
transition across six marine-based economic
sectors.
The report argues that
the health and productivity of marine and
coastal ecosystems, which are currently
in decline around the globe, can be boosted
by shifting to a more sustainable economic
paradigm that taps their natural potential
- from generating renewable energy and promoting
eco-tourism, to sustainable fisheries and
transport.
Recommendations include
targeted financial support from governments
for marine-based renewable energy projects
(wind and wave power) in order to harness
the considerable opportunities for green
job creation in the sector.
