New Delhi: The Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, on Monday, assured that India is going to play a vital role in the 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), which is going to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, between February 28 and March 2, as the country is going to press upon the issues of sustainable use, recycle economy and marine litter.
Yadav informed that India may also move a resolution on the issue of marine litter and will try to reach a consensus with other member countries at UNEA.
While speaking to the media over the matter, he asserted, "India is going to play a vital role in the UNEA on the issues of sustainable use and recycle economy. Following the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ban single-use plastic by 2022, our ministry has already brought out the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022."
He further said, "India will also move a resolution at UNEA on the issue of marine litter. We will try to reach a consensus with other member countries on environment and sustainability at this international conference," adding that it is in line with the formula given by PM Modi at COP 26 in Glasgow. The UNEA is the world's highest decision-making body on the environment. It has the membership of all 193 UN member states.
The first session of UNEA-5 (UNEA-5.1) was held online on February 22-23, last year. While an in-person session of UNEA-5 (UNEA-5.2) will be held from February 28 to March 2, 2022.
The overall theme for UNEA-5 is "Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals" which highlights the pivotal role nature plays in our lives and in social, economic and environmentally sustainable development.
The Assembly will hold a Special Session of the Assembly on March 3-4, 2022, which aims to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the UN Environment Programme in 1972 (UNEP@50).
