At the third session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in 2017, Member States adopted a Ministerial Declaration calling for heightened efforts to address pollution and requesting UNEP to prepare an implementation plan for this purpose. The implementation plan “Towards a Pollution-Free Planet”, developed in consultation with Member States, was endorsed by UNEA4 as the key vehicle for implementing the Declaration. The plan proposes solutions for how to fill capacity gaps in addressing pollution and contributes to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The sound management of chemicals and waste is key to ensuring a pollution-free planet.
Many UN agencies address pollution through their mandates, expertise, and operations, promoting improved environmental quality and human health, supporting multi-stakeholder action in a variety of sectors, and advancing efforts at all levels from global to local. Nevertheless, existing efforts could benefit from stronger synergies, common narratives, and more coordinated action for increased impact.
In October 2021, the EMG’s Senior Officials agreed to establish a Consultative Process on this issue, aiming to prepare a UN system-wide approach towards a pollution-free planet.
Electrical and electronic waste, or e-waste, is a growing challenge all around the world. But what is e-waste? It can be defined simply as items of all types of electrical and electronic equipment and its parts that have been discarded by the owner as waste without the intention of re-use (Step, 2014). The effects on human health and the environment of this type of pollution are far from simple. The United Nations Environment Management Group has long been addressing this, and continues to advocate and raise awareness about e-waste.
E-waste is not just limited to phones and computers, it also includes all household appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, and toasters. Many of these appliances are discarded as waste, ultimately ending up in landfills. In the United States alone 70% of heavy metals found in landfills come from discarded electronics. Today, the lifespan of many devices is diminishing. They are discarded and replaced by newer versions and improved technology leading to shorter fashion cycles and even more production, consumption and waste. Ultimately, many old devices still have a use and value.
Key components of these discarded electronics, such as printed circuit boards, contain many harmful chemicals. At the same time, chemicals such as mercury are used to rudimentary processing techniques to extract precious materials. When not properly managed, chemicals can find their way into the air, and soil and water ways, effectively ruining the surrounding environment.
At the Environment Management Group Senior Officials Meeting in September, UN organisations discussed the E-waste Coalition which is currently being developed, and coordinated by the EMG Secretariat. On the backdrop of growing challenges faced by Member States to manage e-waste, the Coalition will provide a global platform for support with this issue. Following the publication of two major reports in 2017: Global E-waste Monitor, and the UN System-wide Response to Tackling E-waste, a Letter of Intent was signed by several organisations active in addressing e-waste. Discussions at the Senior Officials Meeting about the need for a circular economy, support for small and medium-sized enterprises and dialogue between governments and the electronics industry, all reinforced the value of the E-waste Coalition as a global platform in the making.
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Based on the EMG’s Terms of Reference, this strategic narrative aims to guide and frame the work of the EMG in 2023-2030, taking into account the results of past and ongoing EMG processes, the findings and recommendations of the EMG reports to the Stockholm+50 International Meeting, the UN Secretary-General’s report. A number of specific issues will be addressed under three broad thematic areas which will have the flexibility to absorb new and emerging issues.
EMG Strategic Narrative 2023-2030
Under each thematic area the EMG will seek to: Enhance UN system coherence in addressing interlinked, intergenerational environmental crises of energy, biodiversity, climate, food and health; Promote multilateral and multisectoral policy discussions and issue-based programming with respect to the international environmental and sustainable development agenda; Prepare UN system-wide strategies and common approaches to promote policy coherence; Prepare policy and normative guidance, guidelines and tools within the UN system; Facilitate systematic approaches to data and knowledge aggregation and communication; Ensure alignment with existing UN action plans and issue-based coordination platforms; Improve visibility and public awareness of the EMG, and position it as a platform for UN system knowledge sharing; Support the CEB, HLCP, HLCM and the UN Development Cooperation Office in mainstreaming and implementing environmental priorities across UN policies, programming, management and operations, including in UN Country Teams..
Based on the EMG’s Terms of Reference, this strategic narrative aims to guide and frame the work of the EMG in 2023-2030, taking into account the results of past and ongoing EMG processes, the findings and recommendations of the EMG reports to the Stockholm+50 International Meeting, the UN Secretary-General’s report. A number of specific issues will be addressed under three broad thematic areas which will have the flexibility to absorb new and emerging issues.
EMG Strategic Narrative 2023-2030
Under each thematic area the EMG will seek to: Enhance UN system coherence in addressing interlinked, intergenerational environmental crises of energy, biodiversity, climate, food and health; Promote multilateral and multisectoral policy discussions and issue-based programming with respect to the international environmental and sustainable development agenda; Prepare UN system-wide strategies and common approaches to promote policy coherence; Prepare policy and normative guidance, guidelines and tools within the UN system; Facilitate systematic approaches to data and knowledge aggregation and communication; Ensure alignment with existing UN action plans and issue-based coordination platforms; Improve visibility and public awareness of the EMG, and position it as a platform for UN system knowledge sharing; Support the CEB, HLCP, HLCM and the UN Development Cooperation Office in mainstreaming and implementing environmental priorities across UN policies, programming, management and operations, including in UN Country Teams.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec sed est eleifend, malesuada orci in, iaculis purus. Etiam quis neque turpis. Aenean eu bibendum nunc. Vestibulum imperdiet, sapien non viverra tempor, tortor tortor commodo velit, quis volutpat urna turpis in tellus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec sed est eleifend, malesuada orci in, iaculis purus. Etiam quis neque turpis. Aenean eu bibendum nunc. Vestibulum imperdiet, sapien non viverra tempor, tortor tortor commodo velit, quis volutpat urna turpis in tellus.
